Time Out! Devotions

¹ But now, this is what the LORD says—he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

² When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

³ For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead.

⁴ Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life.

⁵ Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.

Isaiah 43:1-5

Last summer, a Canadian family celebrated their son’s third birthday with a camping trip to a popular park in British Columbia. One day during their stay, the boy’s parents thought he was playing with other children.  When they realized he was missing, a frantic search ensued.  According to the subsequent report of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the boy had ridden his toy truck into a swiftly-flowing river.  The river swept the boy, still on the truck, downstream for nearly eight miles.  It was a two-hour trip; and the boy, when he was discovered, seemed to have enjoyed himself.  He rode his truck down the river like a raft.  “He was very excited,” said an officer. ¹

Isaiah 43:2 says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.”  The Lord watches over us, even when we don’t fully understand the perilous nature of our condition.  Thank goodness for His daily protection!

1 “Canadian Boy Floats Unharmed Down River on Toy Truck” by Reuters, July 14, 2009, at http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090714/od_nm/us_boy.

(by Dr. David Jeremiah from the November 2009 issue of Turning Points devotional magazine)

“Though come what may from day to day, my Heavenly Father watches over me.”
Clyde Heathcock

Exodus 5:22-6:7 (NIV)

²² Moses returned to the LORD and said, “O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? ²³ Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.”

¹ Then the LORD said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.”

² God also said to Moses, “I am the LORD. ³ I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them. ⁴ I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they lived as aliens. ⁵ Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.

⁶ “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. ⁷ I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.

Pharaoh had just increased the Hebrews’ workload. Moses protested that God was mistreating His people by not delivering them. He expected faster results and fewer problems.

When God is at work, however, suffering, setbacks, and hardship may still occur. In James 1:2-4, we read that we should be happy when difficulties come our way.

Problems exercise our patience and character by teaching us to (1) trust God to do what is best for us, (2) look for ways to honor God in our present situation, (3) remember that God will not abandon us, and (4) watch for God’s plan in our life.

Small problems only need small answers. But when we face great problems, God has an opportunity to exercise His great power. As the Hebrews’ troubles grew steadily worse, God planned to intervene with His mighty power and perform great miracles to deliver them.

How big are your problems? Big problems put you in perfect position to watch God give big answers!

(from the Life Application Bible – Living Bible edition)