Passing Through

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." — Isaiah 43:2 (CEB)

As I visited with my mother in the nursing facility, one of the joys we shared was music. With an old hymnal in hand, we turned page after page, reliving memories through songs of faith. One of those hymns was This World Is Not My Home. Its refrain reminds us that we are “just a passing through,” with treasures laid up beyond the blue.

The hymn echoes Isaiah’s promise: life is full of waters to cross and fires to endure, yet we are not alone. Israel heard these words in exile, a people in transition, reminded that God’s presence would carry them through. The hymn takes that same truth and lifts our eyes heavenward, reminding us that this world, with all its trials and changes, is not our final home.

For us, the message is clear. Even when life feels uncertain—whether in a nursing facility, in the midst of aging, or facing transitions we cannot control—we are “passing through.” But we do not pass through alone. God our Creator steadies us, Christ our Redeemer promises an eternal home, and the Holy Spirit sustains us with daily grace, giving hope beyond what we see.

Lord, we thank You that in every passage of life—through waters, through fire, through the changes of this world—You are with us. Remind us that we are not abandoned, but carried by your grace. Lift our eyes beyond the temporary to the eternal, where our true home is with You. Until that day, help us to walk faithfully, trusting your presence in every transition. Amen.

Peace & Grace,

Pastor Tim