Israel, the LORD who created you says, "Do not be afraid – I will save you. I have called you by name – you are mine. When you pass through deep waters, I will be with you; your troubles will not overwhelm you. When you pass through fire, you will not be burned; the hard trials that come will not hurt you. For I am the LORD your God, the holy God of Israel, who saves you. I will give up Egypt to set you free; I will give up Sudan and Seba. I will give up whole nations to save your life, because you are precious to me and because I love you and give you honor. Do not be afraid – I am with you!

"From the distant east and the farthest west I will bring your people home. I will tell the north to let them go and the south not to hold them back. Let my people return from distant lands, from every part of the world. They are my own people, and I created them to bring me glory."

Isaiah 43:1-7

Have you ever been through a car wash experience? As you go in to the tunnel, you check your windows and doors to make sure they are closed. You are propelled silently on a conveyor belt that you have absolutely nothing to do with. Then the water descends and the car is covered with water. Pretty soon it is covered with soap, and then a wax and finally the rinse. As you emerge wind blows over the car and cloths dry it, and when you emerge it is clean, and you are safe again. But, you were always safe. You just didn’t know it.

Are you in the middle of a car-wash experience? Trust God to bring you through to the other side. You will then be a shining testimony of His keeping power.

A tunnel of testing can produce a shining testimony.

Our Daily Bread – January 21, 2003