WATCHWORD:
1 But now the Lord who created you, O Israel, says: Don’t be afraid, for I have ransomed you; I have called you by name; you are mine. 2 When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up—the flames will not consume you. 3 For I am the Lord your God, your Savior. Isaiah 43:1-3a
Meditation:
Embrace the Air
He stood at the open door, air rushing in. The view was stunning and he was enraptured by the colors and the patterns of the fields below. With a nervous gesture, he gave a reassuring touch to the strap of the parachute on his back. A thought: I don’t want to do this! What if…
His trainer, standing behind him, gave his back a reassuring pat, and said “You’ll be fine. Just make your counts. Pull the handle, enjoy the ride!” With that, he gave another reassuring pat, this one harder, and he found himself flying, embracing the wind. Gripped with fear, and in a moment of panic, he groped for the handle. As he found it, he relaxed, took a deep breath, finished his count, and pulled the handle.
I’ve never jumped out of plane. For a long time, I wanted to try hang-gliding, but never got the chance. I have been passenger in a glider, pulled aloft by a plane to 2,300 feet and cut loose, the Swiss Alps all around! I had a competent pilot, but it was still scary. Where are we going to land? What about those mountains? Still the guy at the controls knew what he was doing, had done this many times. Eventually, I relaxed and enjoyed the experience.
I love the assurance that God gives Isaiah. We all have rivers of difficulty flowing through our lives, often at unexpected times and in unexpected ways. Many times, we try to go it alone until we realize that the water is too deep and suddenly we know we can’t do it, and we cry out, “Help me, Jesus!
Sometimes it is the difficulties in our lives that bring us face to face with the reality of God, the presence of God, that defies and, often, defines our own fragile faith. Look closely at the verses, each phrase begins with “when you go through…”, a statement for the present moment and into the future. This is God speaking to you, “Don’t be afraid, I have called you by name; you are mine.”
I have felt that feeling of my Savior lifting me up out of the flood of my difficulty. I can imagine a similar feeling for that sky-diver, in that moment of panic, grabbing for the handle, and the sudden jerk of the chute opening. I am saved, ‘thank you, Jesus!’
“Help me, Jesus, is not a ‘one and done’, handy get out of jail free card. It is a way of living my life, each moment of every day, even those times of being afraid, or simply insecure. Jesus is there, Jesus is always there. Grateful in the morning, grateful at night and grateful for each moment in between. Amen.
Closing Prayer:
Lord, in every need let me come to You with humble trust saying, “Jesus, help me.”
In all my doubts, perplexities, and temptations, Jesus, help me.
In hours of loneliness, weariness, and trials, Jesus, help me.
In the failure of my plans and hopes; in disappointments, troubles, and sorrows, Jesus, help me.
When others fail me and Your grace alone can assist me, help me.
When I throw myself on Your tender love as a father and savior, Jesus, help me.
When my heart is cast down by failure at seeing no good come from my efforts, Jesus, help me.
When I feel impatient and my cross irritates me, Jesus, help me.
When I am ill and my head and hands cannot work and I am lonely, Jesus, help me.
Always, always, in spite of weakness, falls, and shortcomings of every kind,
Jesus, help me and never forsake me.
Amen.
