Isaiah 43:1-2 (NKJV)
But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.
God promised Israel that He would be with them when they pass through the waters. He said the rivers would not overflow them. The Israelites could have felt nervous walking with a wall of water on both sides of them when He opened the Red Sea and later the Jordan and allowed them to cross over on dry ground. However, God gave them these experiences and allowed them to see His faithfulness and His love for them. The people who heard this prophecy were not the ones who had the experience but they knew about it as they heard the stories passed down from generation to generation and recorded in scripture. The waters and the rivers in this passage represent the challenges of life that may seem overwhelming. God promised that He would be with us through those times and no matter how overwhelming they look, He would see us through. Let us be encouraged today that the waters we are in the middle of are temporary circumstances that we are passing through. God is with us and He will guide us to the other side.