By Barbara Rainey
First Posted on EverThineHome.com
Drowning was my greatest childhood fear. Because of my lifelong battle with asthma, I easily imagined the panic of being overwhelmed by water, fighting for a breath.
In June of 2008, our granddaughter Molly was born. On her birth day, her parents were told she wouldn’t live. The shock was like being swept off their feet by a tsunami. They and everyone in both extended families felt as if we were drowning.
The desperate desire to do something to save Molly was like frantically swimming to stay afloat amidst jagged debris swirling in murky dark water. Unable to make sense of the medical terms and the reality before us, we clung with desperation to the sure Rock of our salvation. As Isaiah 43:2 tells us, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you” (Isaiah 43:2).
These solid, unalterable words of God assure us that He will be with us even when we feel we are drowning in sorrow, pain, or grief.
This statue of Jesus, Christ of the Abyss, secured to the sea floor of the Mediterranean Sea, has always been a visual comfort to me. It reminds me of these words: “… if I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me,” (Psalm 139:9). When we feel we are sinking, even in the midst of an overwhelming ocean of trials, tribulations or losses, He is present, always present and waiting with open arms.
Will you reach out to Him?
God knows we are often afraid, scaredy-cats at heart, so He lovingly tells us—more than 100 times—that He will not leave us. Do His repeated promises help you know He means it?
Hard places in life aren’t always life threatening. Relationships of all kinds are hard, too. Are you remembering that Jesus is with you in the middle of those, too?
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Isaiah 33:6 Stability Sign
When we face the inevitable times of suffering and hardship, Isaiah 33:6 answers the haunting question, “How will I get through this?” No matter the current cultural crisis. No matter the present personal crisis. No matter the secret scars on our hearts. Jesus will be our stability. Often we wish for different circumstances to satisfy, better times to bring us joy, but peace is only found in Him. Add to a side table, your kitchen counter or gallery wall and rest in the One who offers abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge to those who seek Him. Gray or Gold frame with silver and gold lettering printed on canvas and made in India by women artisans whose craft supports their families. Frame is 12×9.
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