Lost In A Cave

Fear and loneliness instantly gripped me.

Isaiah 43:1-28

Reference: v.2 When you pass through the 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;
the flames will not set you ablaze. (TNIV Bible)

Explore: One of my earliest memories was going on a family holiday to some caves. While my memory is a little hazy, I think we were somewhere in Tasmania.

What I can remember is being in a dark place underground with a large number of people. There was a guide showing us around and everyone would listen carefully when they spoke.

At one point I turned around and realised that I had become separated from my family. I moved through all the legs of the crowd, as only small children can, looking for my father’s legs. I was starting to get a little anxious when I finally found him and I held onto his trousers seeking extra security.

Looking up to find reassurance in my father’s face, I was shocked to find a different man looking down on me. I had held onto the wrong man’s leg! Fear and loneliness instantly gripped me.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I quickly let go of this stranger’s leg and started looking around frantically for anyone I recognised. Relief filled my whole body as I finally saw my real father’s bearded face and I ran towards him.

Even though the memory was a long time ago, I can still recall the feeling of complete relief upon seeing my father’s face.

Application: There are times in our lives when we can become distant from God. We get so preoccupied with other things going on in our lives that we start drifting in our relationship with Him as we fill our time with other priorities.

When something goes wrong or disaster hits, we turn around to look for God and notice just how far we have drifted. We can feel scared and insecure and wonder how we had got in a place so far from God.

The great peace we have in God, however, is that He will always be there for us. Isaiah 43:2 reminds us that God will be there for us in all situations. He loves us, cares for His people, and desires to get us through our troubles.

Even when the situation seems so great, God is there for us and He WILL see us through.

Prayer: Lord, your comfort and protection is greater than anyone could ever give me. Thank you for ALWAYS being there for me, no matter how far I wander away from You. Amen.

When have you felt distant from God? What helped to get you back into His presence? 

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