阅读经文 

当我走下徒步山道时，我已经可以看到下一个庇护站了，但一条涨水的小溪从我走的路上漫过，那里没有桥。我别无选择，就小心翼翼地踏进小溪，涉水过河，还好没有滑倒。这不是我第一次在阿巴拉契亚山道上过河，也不会是最后一次。涉水而过可能很危险。

在《以赛亚书》的这段话中，神向祂的子民应许祂的同在与保护。当生命中的挑战和危机像奔流的河水拦阻他们前行，耶和华说：“不要害怕，因为我救赎了你；我曾提你的名召你，你是属我的。”（参赛 43:1）神以波涛汹涌的水流和熊熊燃烧的火焰为比喻，应许祂的百姓他们不会被吞没。在这一章的后面，神叙述了当以色列人过红海时，祂如何保护他们脱离深水的困囿和法老的追兵。（参出 14）神也应许保护祂的子民，使他们脱离因自己犯罪所带来的致命的毁灭。祂应许要涂抹这些罪，不再记念它们。

神创造了我们，祂知道我们的软弱，并应许爱护我们，保守我们免受内部和外部的危险。我们看到神对祂子民的信实，最重要的体现在透过祂的儿子耶稣，成就了所有的应许。

I could see the next shelter as I descended the hiking trail, but a swollen creek crossed my path, and there wasn’t a bridge. Seeing no other option, I stepped into the stream and waded carefully across without slipping. It wasn’t my first water crossing along the Appalachian Trail, and it wouldn’t be my last. Wading through moving water can be dangerous.

In this passage from Isaiah, God assures his people of his presence and protection. When the challenges and crises of life stand in their way like a rushing river, says the Lord, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.” Using the imagery of surging waters and raging fire, God promises that his people will not be overwhelmed. Later in this chapter, God recounts how he kept Israel safe from the deep waters and the army of Pharaoh when they crossed the Red Sea (see Exodus 14). God also promises to protect his people from the surging destruction of their own sins. He promises to blot those sins out and to remember them no more.

God, who created us and knows our weaknesses, promises to love us and protect us from dangers both outside and within our own hearts. We see God’s faithfulness to his people and, above all, in his Son, Jesus, who fulfills all of God’s ­promises.