We read this in the Great Commission, in Isaiah, and other places. It is true because it is God who says it to us. However, we can neglect to hear or listen to this. Ask yourself why. Why is it someone would reject this truth? In Isaiah 43, it\u2019s in the context of passing through waters, through rivers, through fires. It is in this context that God speaks through the prophet and says, \u201cI will be with you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Considering the circumstances, it seems a little more plausible that one of us, or the entire people of Israel, would be hesitant to believe this word which is meant to console and strengthen. One may ask, \u201chow will you be with me,\u201d \u201cto what degree will you prevent my drowning,\u201d \u201cwill you let me hit rock bottom and then appear?\u201d Here are the first two verses of Isaiah 43:<\/p>\n
But now thus says the Lord,
\nhe who created you, O Jacob,
\nhe who formed you, O Israel:<\/p>\n
Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
\nI have called you by name, you are mine.<\/p>\n
When you pass through the waters I will be with you;
\nand through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;<\/p>\n
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
\nand the flame shall not consume you.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Here are some words written in meditation form. The meditation is not meant to give a short and easy answer to hard questions, but intended to show that it can be okay to experience humanity, to be honest and open with God and (hopefully also) a good friend about your own interior life:<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough what waters must I pass, O Lord? What waters? I want no more of this. Have I not lost enough? Have I not given enough? May I not learn how to rest, to enjoy creation, to receive the gifts that you have desired to give? I don\u2019t know. I don\u2019t want to leave. I don\u2019t want to stay. I am alive. All I know is how to live, to maintain my physical health.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pause. Can you see the temptation to despair going on? The writer recognizes a broad spectrum of self-sacrifice. However, it seems that this self-sacrifice has not been directed to or offered to God, at least from the way the text reads. Notice much has been given and much has been lost. But, did you catch to whom the sacrifice was offered or for whose sake the loss was suffered? I don\u2019t mean to invalidate the person\u2019s interior life, but we must pay attention to what we say, to what we write, to what we intend. This slow and introspective examination can profit one for the health (and therefore holiness) of one\u2019s soul… and entire life.<\/p>\n
Return to the scripture passage. Read it again. Look, the water and the fire are spoken of within the context of God\u2019s redeeming love, within his fatherhood. Yes, we must be honest, for what is hidden will be made manifest and lade bare to him who knows us. For anything hidden is meant to be revealed. We must also remember that as we \u2018soul search\u2019 and wrestle with God, we are wrestling with God<\/i>. That means: this struggle is not with something real but Someone real, with Someone who is so intimate with your own person that it could be scary to encounter this someone.<\/p>\n
Think about it, if I direct my frustration or sacrifice to the open air, I feel justified and deserving of repayment. If I direct my self and all that\u2019s going on inside at Him, at He in whom all things hold together… things change. Therefore we must<\/i> return<\/i> to the scripture passage, to the source or spark of this interior conversation.<\/p>\n
Again, the water and fire are spoken of in what context? Within his creative love, from his desire to call us out of slavery into freedom. Will there be tension or struggle or stress in change, in an exodus? Yes! When your mind and heart and soul \u201cgo into the deep\u201d and start praying like David (Psalm 77 in particular), remember from where you came. Remember with whom it is you are conversing. Be present to the fact that you are praying with scripture, or reading a book, or laying bare your life in Confession or Adoration, or…<\/p>\n
God: \u201cFear not, for I have redeemed you…\u201d
\nMe: \u201cHave I not given enough?\u201d
\nGod: \u201cBe at rest, my child.\u201d
\nMe: \u201cI want no more of this.\u201d
\nGod: \u201cI will be with you…\u201d<\/p>\n
If- no, not if- when<\/i> you or I encounter a hard or ugly or hurtful moment, go for it. Exercise that freedom for which you have been redeemed. Always remember therefore that this encounter, beautiful or ugly, must always be ordered. In the few lines above I wrote what the meditation might have read like if it was a dialogue. Who was the other person in the conversation? God, the Holy One of Israel our Savior.<\/p>\n
Who are we sons and daughters of? What power does our faith have? (One answer is in 1 John 5:4). If this is weird or foreign, pray with Psalm 77. Do you know how raw and honest (and maybe even scary) it is? What was David thinking? Ah yes, but were his thoughts and prayers directed to the open air? Was his conflict resolved? Could he carry away something worthwhile or hope-filled from that encounter? If you have all the time in the world, add the entirety of Isaiah 43 to your prayer. See what happens.<\/p>\n
If nothing else, remember this:<\/p>\n
Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
\nI have called you by name, you are mine.<\/p>\n
When you pass through the waters I will be with you<\/b>…<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cI will be with you.\u201d We read this in the Great Commission, in Isaiah, and other places. It is true because it is God who says it to us. However, we can neglect to hear or listen to this. Ask yourself why. Why is it someone would reject this truth? In Isaiah 43, it\u2019s in… [Read More]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":142,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[90],"tags":[2445,1141,102],"class_list":["post-50275","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-faith-blog","tag-created","tag-fear","tag-relationship","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":149306,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2015\/09\/sunday-says-september-13-2015-mass-readings-and-reflection\/","url_meta":{"origin":50275,"position":0},"title":"Sunday Says – September 13, 2015 Mass Readings and Reflection","author":"Crist\u00f3bal Almanza Herrera","date":"September 12, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Sunday September 13, 2015 Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 131 (NAB Translation) Reading 1 Isaiah 50:5-9A This week\u2019s first reading from the Prophet Isaiah is part of the songs of the suffering servant. 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