02-20-2026 PART 2: Created, Redeemed, and Carried Through the Fire

Section 1

Isaiah 43:1–2 opens with breathtaking reassurance: “Now this is what the Lord says—He who created you…He who formed you…Do not fear.” The emphasis begins with authorship. God declares Himself the Creator and Former of His people. Earthly parents participate in life’s beginning, but ultimate design and intention belong to the Lord. Ephesians affirms that believers are His workmanship—His masterpiece. Creation is not accidental; it is purposeful. Immediately following that identity comes the command: do not fear. Fear is anticipation of disaster, yet God counters it with redemption. “I have redeemed you…you are Mine.” Redemption means purchase, and the price paid was the blood of Jesus Christ. Value is measured by cost, and no treasure in the universe rivals that sacrifice. Because believers belong to Him, fear loses its authority.

Section 2

The intimacy deepens: “I have called you by name.” This echoes the moment Jesus spoke Mary’s name at the tomb, transforming confusion into recognition. To be named by God is to be known personally, not generically. Ownership follows: “You are Mine.” That declaration carries protection and permanence. God does not acquire what He intends to discard. Yet verse two clarifies an essential truth—belonging to God does not eliminate trials. Waters, rivers, and fire remain realities. The promise is not exemption but presence. “When you pass through…” not “if.” Trials will come, but they will not overwhelm, sweep away, or consume. Water and fire represent opposite extremes, signaling that no circumstance lies outside His sustaining reach.

Section 3

The psalmist once envied the prosperity of the wicked until entering God’s sanctuary and perceiving their end. Perspective reshapes perception. Temporary ease without eternal security is not true blessing. Isaiah’s promise anchors believers in something deeper: identity, redemption, and divine companionship through every extreme. God’s faithfulness does not fluctuate with leadership, culture, or circumstance. He created, redeemed, named, and claimed His people. When they walk through floods or flames, He walks with them. The command not to fear is grounded in covenant reality. He is present in the water. He is present in the fire. And nothing—absolutely nothing—can separate His redeemed from His sustaining hand.