Nougat 27

In the face of life’s traumas, how do we treat with today’s Holy Nougat?

“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When the floodwaters hit, do we begin to hyperventilate, get antsy, resign ourselves to the worst, or do we seek to find God’s grace?

When the furnace is prepared and we see our name inscribed therein, it is hard to think Hebrew boys, and not Auschwitz. It is even harder to imagine God having been present at those camps. So what do we do then? Do we praise God anyway, or do we seek our own salvation, by deciding that God’s not with us or is incapable to help?

I do believe that there were faithful Jews who perished in Auschwitz, and I can’t even imagine what happened and how/if they experienced God’s direct presence in those last moments. Like Martha and Mary, they might have asked why God permitted such to happen. And some did not see a physical resurrection.

That notwithstanding, I know that God is with us in the struggle. And perhaps, just as much as the flood waters and the furnaces are not necessarily as literal as those cited earlier, it may be that the reference is about our spirits.

If it is, then I hear in the nougat an invitation to shift our focus from the various vicissitudes of life to the Giver and the Gift of Life. And when we do, perhaps we will not be overwhelmed as we recognize that there’s Life beyond this life and regardless of the situation, God’s grace surrounds us.

Most of all, we live our lives in full joy, accepting the Gift and creating as many opportunities to see God at work in our lives. Thus we will not be overwhelmed by the storms, floods or flames of danger.

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May all we seek be found in Christ