How To Pass Through the Waters

April 29

~ Today’s Scripture Art and mini Bible study of Isaiah 43 were designed to help you know the details of how to “pass through the waters” without the overwhelm. ~

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Today’s verse feels all comfy cozy when we’re not in the water.

Isaiah 43:2 (ESV): 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,

But let’s be honest. When you’re passing through a raging river, would you rather have God take away the waters or help you through them?

Certainly we all have the same answer to that question. {grin}

Thankfully there are times when God does part our waters. (See Exodus 14:21-22)

But today’s verse clearly let’s us know that sometimes we will have to swim, so we better find out how.

Surely you noticed that the verse starts with the word: when (not if).

I hand-lettered that word pretty big so we couldn’t miss it.

Isaiah 43:2 - When you pass through the waters - Scripture Art

Thus we know that we are not exempt from the waters.

However, this verse speaks of a hope of passing through rivers without overwhelm, fire without burn, and flames without consumption.

Yes please.

Anyone else want to know how?

How to Pass Through the Waters

Now all of you teacher’s pets may have shot your hand up … I know how, I know how: He will be with me!

Yes, that is true according to today’s verse, as well as many others …

Matthew 28:20 (ESV): Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

John 14:16-17 (ESV): And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

But I personally would like a little more information.

So God is with us. How does that work exactly?

How can an invisible God help us through the inevitable waters?

What if we’re passing through the waters and trying our best to believe this verse, but it still feels like the rivers are overwhelming us?

Are we missing something?

Does the Bible give us any details HOW to pass through the waters the way this verse describes?

Let’s do a little digging to find out.

God loves it when we hunt through His Word for answers.

The first thing I did was read the verses around the verse.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had questions about a verse and the answer turned out to be close by.

So I read the whole chapter. Then I read the chapter before it.

Here are some practical things I found in Isaiah 42-43.

When the Israelites were passing through hard times during these two chapters, the Lord briefly mentions these 5 things …

Let’s not miss them.

1} Wait for His Instruction

Isaiah 42:4 (NLT): He [the coming Messiah] will not falter or lose heart until justice prevails throughout the earth. Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction.”

How should we wait for His instruction?

By reading His Word – and lots of it.

2} Hear

Isaiah 42:18 (ESV): Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see!

What’s the best way to hear the Lord?

By reading His Word – and lots of it.

3} Praise

Isaiah 42:10 (ESV): Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that fills it, the coastlands and their inhabitants.

How can you praise when you don’t feel like praising?

By reading the Psalms – and lots of them.

4} Follow

Isaiah 42:16 (ESV): And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them.

What does it look like to follow His lead?

We can’t follow without knowing His ways, so …

Read His Word – and lots of it. Then do it.

5} Trust

Isaiah 43:10 (NLT): “But you are my witnesses, O Israel!” says the Lord. “You are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God.

Know Him, believe Him, and understand that He alone is God.

Yes, this is the hardest one.

How can we trust Him when the rushing waters make us doubt?

By reading His Word – and lots of it.

For me, the “lots of it” is key.

Next time you pass through the waters, that Bible of yours better not be damp – it needs to be drenched!

Soaking wet.

You see, faith is hard to feel when we’re in the midst of frantically swimming.

During the rapids, when I’m having trouble feeling it, I read God’s Word – and keep reading it – lots of it – until my emotions remember what I know to be true.

It works!

But don’t just take my word for it.

As I’ve said before, what I think doesn’t matter a lick. What does God think …

Romans 15:4 (ESV): For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Psalm 19:7-8 (ESV): The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;