“But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine.” Isaiah‬ ‭43:1‬ KJV. In reading this chapter it is easy to become focused on the next verse. There our Lord encourages and reminds us “when you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fires, you will not be burned…” And certainly those are wonderful words that bring comfort to our souls. But do we ever pause to ask “Why?” Why does God promise us such marvelous things? Why does He promise to be with us and keep us through the worst places of this life? Then we realize the answer is already given in verse 1. It is simply because our Creator God, the One Who is our Heavenly Father says, “Thou art Mine”. Because we belong to Him. Because He cares for His own. Because we have been bought with a price. So whatever you are facing today, whatever is going on in your life, however difficult your path may be, remember these words: I belong to God. The Almighty Creator of Heaven and earth, the One Who keeps His promise, He has said to me, “You are My child. And because you belong to Me, I will always be with you. And My grace is sufficient for you”.