Hope within Creation: Friday

Friday March 5, 2021

Created by Lauren Cubberley

Isaiah 43:2 (NIV)

“When you pass through waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned.”

Devotion

I have always loved being around water. I have fond memories of biking and walking by my hometown’s lake throughout my teenage years. I have also always loved the ocean. When I traveled to Florida just before the pandemic hit, the ocean was a calming presence throughout the week. My worries about the future seemed to disappear the moment I put my feet in the water. Like many people, I had no idea the fire that would be set ablaze just a few weeks later.

The time preparing to move back home in March reminds me of the rivers that are discussed in Isaiah. Hearing all that was happening in the world caused me to feel like I was drowning. Arriving home made me feel as if I were “walk[ing] through fire.” I was upset, angry, and confused by God.

One of the good things to come out of the months of my quarantining was my reconnection with nature. I began taking walks and bike rides like I used to. I ventured back to the lake and was reminded of the calmness that I feel when I am by water. Seeing nature in different ways those months in the spring allowed me to see the hope that God wants us to have. Just like the waves in the ocean and lake, no matter where I was — home, Capital, or Florida — I would keep on moving. To me, that is hopeful: continuing to move in the midst of fire, and letting the waters wash you calm.

Prayer

Good and gracious God, help us to find hope in this weary season. Amen.