Just Jump In

Does God still care about us during these uncertain times?  During this time, I am usually soaking up my the August weather at this time.  I am tickled when one of my kids will pass out because of the full days we have hiking, swimming or just enjoying each other in another state. There was one summer that I was pregnant with my second child Rachel. Pregnancy during the summer does not wear well on me. I was cranky and irritated so my best friend at the time made it her business to keep me active so we went to the pool. It was July and I was due in August and I could barely move. I lathered up my son, Joey, then two years old, with sunscreen and sent him off to play in the pool with his two buddies. My friend and I sat in the chairs on the side and watched them play. We were deep in a conversation when I noticed something was wrong. Joey slipped on something and wasn’t getting his footing. He was trying desperately to stand up but was unable to, with every attempt to stand up, he was panicking and falling in the water. He was easily drowning in shallow water and no one was seeing it. I jumped in the shallow pool and ran as fast as a nine-month pregnant mother could run. I ran past everyone who was totally oblivious of his struggle and snatched him up and held him in my arms as he coughed out the water in his lungs. Being a parent helps you see the love and the heart that God has for his children.

Where is God during these times when Corona is raging all over the nation and the whole world?  God never ever promises that those who believe in him wold not go through rough times.  There are believers and non-believers that are going through the same storms.  So if we are all in the same storm, why do I call on God?  God does not promise blue skies and rainbows but that he was going to dive in with us, walk this road with me. There is a difference when a storm rages for someone in a house verses someone who has no place to find refuge.  God has promised to be that refuge.

God Is Not A Spectator

How do I know he can be trusted?  I know that those things may not sound too reassuring to you or even comforting, but I remember when I was growing up felt so alone and hopeless that relationship with SOMEONE was what I needed for life to be new. God truly held up to his end of the bargain. God GOT IN my life of muck and mire. Every night when I laid my head on my pillow and soaked it with tears because of emotional pain I was going through, his presence was felt. He was at my bedside reassuring me that he had not left and that he loved me. In these times, many of us feel like our lives have been flipped upside down and we don’t know where to go.  With the loss and grief that is oppressing the world now, everyone is experiencing some form of emotional pain.  We need a present God, not a spectating God.

These moments with God strengthened my relationship with him, but it also showed me that my parents were not going to give me what I needed. My goal had been to please them and get them to see that I was different, but I was failing badly. It was my God that saw the changes and the good decisions I was trying to make. He became the love of my life. This was not the first time that God got into the heat of life with someone.

In the Bible, there is a really awesome story that adults seem to only tell children and teenagers. They cease to carry over this wonderful story of God’s power to the adult community. So let me give you a quick background. The following story can be found in Daniel chapter 3.  A king by the name of Nebuchadnezzar felt that he was a gift to humanity so he created a huge golden statue of himself for everyone to worship. After the statue was ready for unveiling he commanded that once the music started that everyone must bow down and worship the image. Every single human being bowed down except three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They had a greater fear for God than of this prideful, arrogant human king. They refused to give this king a touch of worship that is only for God. When Nebuchadnezzar found out about the rebellion he called them to him. He demanded them to answers for their insolence and then told them that if they did not fall in line and bow to the image a second time that he would kill them. He went on to antagonize them by asking them what their God would do for them after he was done with them. He wanted to hear their thoughts on this, now, promise of sheer death. Look at theme’s answers,

“King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. ¹⁷ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us^[c] from Your Majesty’s hand. ¹⁸ But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Daniel 3 16-18

These men knew that God can stop the pain that could befall them but even if he chose not to, he is still God.  We have to know that even though life does not happen the way we want, God is still God and he has not taken his eye off of us for one second.  So that’s why they said whatever God chose to do, to save them or to allow them to perish, they were fine with it (WHAT)! I don’t know if that would be my answer. I don’t know if you know the story, but the king was so furious that he sent all three men into a fiery furnace that was turned up seven times hotter then normal. It was so hot that the guard who brought them to the furnace died on the way. When you read this after reading different things that God has done, you would think that the death of the guard was the beginning of God doing something amazing. God doesn’t strike the king dead. He doesn’t blow out the fiery flames. What does he do?

“‘Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.'” Daniel 3:25 (NIV)

God got into the fire with them!! His presence protected those men so that they did not perish that day. Did he just show up or was he there the whole time? God was not going to allow them to face the fire by themselves even though they had each other. When my son was struggling in the pool, I did not ask someone near him to help him. I didn’t lean over the pool and reach out my hand to him. I did not ask my bestie to get him. I didn’t wait for the lifeguard to do something, even though that was why he was there. I got in the pool with him! I ran as fast as I could to be right by his side and rescue him. It was my job and no one else’s.

You Are Not Alone, God Is By Your Side

My friend, do you know that God refuses to just give you a hand in your pit to help you out and he doesn’t ask anyone else to help you. Jesus gets into the pit with you. so he can get you out. He walks by your side. He leads you out. He feels the heat with you as opposed to coaching you through it. Yes what are all facing is scary, yes it may seem like you aren’t getting your footing, yes it may seem lonely, but God will not leave your side. Do you need God to get in the pit with you? Are you struggling for your footing and need God to scoop you up? Do you feel alone and that God has not rescued you but you are drowning. My greatest desire is for you to ask God into the pit with you during these uncertain times. You can’t do it by yourself.

Do you have a testimony about God walking with you through “fire” in your life? Do you have a testimony in the making? We would love to hear from you in the comments!