January 6, 2025
Isaiah 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
We must get into the waters and the floods before we can claim the promise. God will not give me the grace I need until I need it.
I remember July 27, 1991, my husband and I were on our way to Canada to participate in a mission’s conference. On our way, we ran into a violent rainstorm, and our windshield wipers stopped working. My husband said, “We better get off…I can’t see a thing.” We pulled off to Route 4 near Lebanon, New Hampshire. My husband got out of the car and took a tool from the trunk. He opened the hood and located the problem. When he began to see the wipers working, a car hit him and threw him forty-nine feet down an embankment. I saw him flying by me in my side window.
I ran to see where he landed and heard him moan. I thought, “He isn’t dead.” All of sudden there was a kind man in a black trench coat holding and comforting me. He told me not to be afraid that there was a doctor with him right now. I thought, “How is this possible…there is no rescue vehicle?” This man (who I believe was an angel God sent me when I needed help) gave me explicit directions. He told me that he would take care of my car. He instructed me to get into the ambulance with my husband when it arrived.
When the ambulance arrived, I got in the front seat. I was still shaking uncontrollably. I reached in my handbag and located my small pink Bible. My Bible opened automatically to Psalm 121:1-2 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. As I read those verses, a warm started at the top of my head and ran all the way through my body. I realized that God had been with me when I passed through the waters.
The next day a man approached me in the hospital cafeteria. He asked me, “Do you remember me from yesterday?” I said, “I remember your face.” He went on to tell me, “I’m Dr. Sylvestre. I am a pulmonary specialist. Your husband was face down in running water. I knew I had to turn him over or he would drown.
Although we don’t always understand God’s ways, we must trust Him through the waters and the fires.
Thank you Father for Your love and all seeing eye. I love You. Forgive me for not trusting you through every circumstance I face.
Poem: Passing Through
Written by Annie Johnson Flint
When thou passest through the waters
Deep the waves may be and cold,
But Jehovah is our refuge,
And His promise is our hold;
For the Lord Himself hath said it,
He, the faithful God and true:
When thou comest to the waters,
Thou shalt not go down, but through.
Seas of sorrow, seas of trial,
Bitterest anguish, fiercest pain,
Rolling surges of temptation
Sweeping over heart and brain —
They shall never overflow us,
For we know His word is true;
All His waves and all His billows,
He will lead us safely through.
Threatening breakers of destruction,
Doubt’s insidious undertow,
Shall not sink us, shall not drag us
Out to ocean depths of woe;
For His promise shall sustain us,
Praise the Lord, whose Word is true!
We shall not go down, or under,
For He saith, ” Thou passest through. “