Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior… You are precious in My eyes, and honored, and I love you…everyone who is called by My name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.

Thousands of denominations and religions exist in the world today, and whether by a little or a lot, each one’s teachings are different from the others. What we believe and what we know is that we have a Savior described by the prophet Isaiah, a Savior who deals well with His children. He tells us to be fearless. He reminds us that we belong to Him.

Christ didn’t just come down from heaven to live and minister to every class of people, Jew and Gentile, slave and free, men, women, and children. He also suffered being accused and constantly questioned by His own people. He was mocked, slandered, and eventually killed so that He could defeat death and sin once and for all, rise to life once again, and adopt us into His family while giving us new names.

Nothing we have ever done or ever will do—including any fear, shame, or labels from this world—will deter His love for us. He chose to take full responsibility for us. We belong to Him even on the rough days. With God we can face the waters of the Red Sea, just like Moses, when we are caught between drowning and that which  has enslaved us.

With God we are not threatened by the rushing waters of the Jordan, which seems to hinder us from fighting for what God has promised. With God, we can walk through the fire that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had to face and know that God stands with us. We are precious to Him. He will always come for us, gather us up in His arms, and keep us in His perfect care—not just for all time but for every moment of our lives now as well.

Author: Jad Ghrayyeb

Other Lenten readings for today:

• Genesis 14:17-24
• Philippians 3:17-20