God Leads His Dear Children Along
The chorus of G. A. Young’s great song of comfort says, “God leads His dear children along. Some through the waters, some through the flood, some through the fire, but all through the blood. Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song, in the night season and all the day long.” It is obvious that the author was reflecting upon an even greater song from the inspired pen of Isaiah in his prophecy, chapter 43, verse 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.”
In this verse we see a promise that God will lead us through overwhelming circumstances and consuming circumstances. Consider first:
I. Overwhelming Circumstances
Have you been in those situations that nearly knock you off your feet? Like a mighty ocean wave blown in at hurricane force to dismantle the calm beach of your life, sorrows have hit you at one time or another. David experienced these “tidal waves” of grief when he expressed in Psalm 24:4, 5 that if the LORD had not been on our side, “Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul: then the proud waters had gone over our soul.” Notice the psalmist said that these overwhelming waters were proud, in other words, sorrows are no respecter of persons. In Christendom we see the stately figure of Dr. Billy Graham seemingly looming over controversies and trials that beset so many fellow Christians, yet we don’t often see Dr. Graham behind the doors of his home. I submit when this man is off camera and away from the crowds, he hurts over things that hurt you. Otherwise his favorite verse in the Bible would not be Isaiah 43:2.
The tide is controlled by God, not by the moon. If you want to argue the point, forget it, because God controls the moon as well! David said, “Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 124:7, 8). Consider also:
II. The Consuming Circumstances
God promised in Isaiah 43:2 that you would walk through the fire; the good news is that not only will you not be burned – the flame will not kindle upon you. What peace! When we consider fire we think of devastation. Yet, we may unmistakably claim deliverance. If our Lord will not deliver us from the fire, He promises to deliver us through the fire; either way we win! A perfect example of this principle is the three Hebrew children of Daniel 3. After God in His sovereign choice elects to send his dearest people through the furnace, please notice the outcome as told to us by the wicked king who ordered the furnace, “…Lo, I see four men loose, and walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God” (Daniel 3:25).
In summation, our Lord delights in turning the tables and allowing that which was against us to work for us (Romans 8:28 and Psalm 57:2)! The waters of the Red Sea blocked the way for God’s people to escape Pharaoh; however, Psalm 78:53 says, “And He led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.” When my father worked for our government in forest conservation they would sometimes fight fire with “fire lanes.” These were patches of ground torched under the watchful eye of the corps or fire fighters. They fought fire with fire. The principle would be that the flames could not jump the strips of land already burned and thus end further destruction. “A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about” (Psalm 97:3).
“Though the ocean roar around me,
Yet still shall bear me on;
Though a desert should surround me,
It hath springs that may be won.”
(from: “To Thomas Moore” by Lord Byron)
- Pastor Pope -