Isaiah 43:1 But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. 2 When you go through deep waters, 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.
It was a sight few people will ever forget. Catastrophic storms had wracked the Gulf Coast, dumping unthinkable amounts of water on major cities such as Houston, Texas. The government did what it could; however, far more rescuers were needed. That’s when the good ole boys-and girls-from across the Southeast hitched up their boat trailers with all the gear they had and moved to the flood-stricken areas. Calling themselves “the United Cajun Navy,” these men and women volunteered, saving thousands of lives, rescuing people from trees and rooftops. As experienced hunters and fishermen, these people were used to high water, mud, snakes, alligators, and all the other kinds of dangers encountered in floods. (For those of you who are not Americans, the term “Cajun” refers to the hunters, trappers, and fisherfolk living in southern Louisiana. If you have ever watched the TV series “Swamp People,” those people are Cajuns, and some Americans consider them as “bush people.” My African friends will understand that term.) These people knew how to improvise to get jobs done, using the wrong equipment for the right purpose. During that first response, thousands of people were rescued by those running bass boats (small fishing boats.)
The founder and president of the United Cajun Navy is Todd Terrell, a local businessman who lost fishing boats and a prosperous restaurant to Hurricane Katrina. In the wake of his family’s tragic losses, Terrell realized that God was calling him to a different purpose. Terrell has told reporters, “When you lose everything, sometimes you get angry at God. But my faith was such that it was like, “You know, there’s got to be a better calling for me.’ And then next thing you know, it turned into this. God had a better plan for me.” These days, UNC responds to all sorts of disasters throughout America, involving anyone who will help, from motorcycle clubs to church groups to individual volunteers. Due to the varied nature of those involved, UNC has access to construction equipment, heavy machinery, large trucks, and all kinds of other resources. UNC also now responds to areas devastated by fires, tornadoes, earthquakes, and other disasters. UNC now encompasses weather watch, disaster relief, and search and rescue operations, all with volunteer help and public donations.
What about fire fighters? Eighty-two per cent of all fire departments in America are mostly volunteer. Sometimes heads of these departments receive a small salary from the local government and other times they receive nothing apart from public encouragement. These men and women train several times a month, maintaining personal fitness so that they can act effectively when flames are consuming a building. Volunteers run the same risks as paid fire fighters, and one friend became paraplegic when a chimney collapsed on him while he was fighting a fire in rural Illinois.
Why mention these groups when speaking about God’s deliverance? God uses people to do His work. But we must recognize God’s provision. There’s a horrible story told about a pastor in a town near a river that was flooding. The police warned everyone to get out of town; however, the pastor refused, stating that God would deliver him. The water kept rising, and finally the pastor wound up on the roof of the church. Two men came by in a boat, offering help, but the pastor refused. “God will deliver me,” the pastor stated. Then a helicopter swooped in, and again the pastor refused, stating, “God will deliver me.” Finally, the pastor drowned! When the pastor reached heaven, he questioned God, “Lord, why didn’t You deliver me?” God replied, “I sent the police, two guys in a boat, and a helicopter. What more did you want?”
3 For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom; I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place. 4 Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you.
I always become teary-eyed when I read this part, for God is literally pleading with the Israelites to understand the depth of His love for them. In Isaiah’s day, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Seba were three of the richest and most powerful kingdoms there were. God is saying that nobody is more precious to Him than the Israelites.
Many of us may have come from dysfunctional families where we were perpetually ignored, taken for granted, or even abused and insulted. We might have struggled to achieve meaningful careers and a sense of self-worth. We might have found ourselves in marriages where the dynamics echoed the dysfunction of our nuclear families. And with all this, we might be ready to give up on everything and everybody. Why wait for God when everyone else has disappointed us?
But God is not like those who have wounded you in the past. God is a loving Father who knows you better than you know yourself. God does not abuse His children; in fact, God cares about every intimate detail of your life. When you wait on God, expecting Him to act in His time, wonderful things can happen. God can heal those hurts you have carried for so long. God can redeem every one of the terrible experiences you have endured. You might feel as if you have gone through fire and water, but God has brought you through, and He will lift you up.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, please heal all those reading these words. Speak to their hearts and reassure them that they ARE precious to you! In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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