by Anna Haiar

Finding Truth in the Waters of Baptism

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”
Isaiah 43:1 English Standard Version

Living in a land-locked state, I find myself often yearning to be near (preferably warm) water, such as the ocean or poolside in the desert heat. I took this photo on a trip several years ago to Roatan, Honduras. The vast ocean is full of possibilities and when I stop to think of how wide and deep the waters of the world are, it’s enough to make me a little, well, afraid. There’s an entire body of water where most parts of it have never been explored or seen by human eyes. What a fascinating and slightly terrifying thought!

Our uncertainty about the future is often like the ocean. When fear grips us—when the future is unclear and suffering feels too burdensome—God speaks into that fear with a promise found in Isaiah 43:1: “You are mine.” God declares ownership, protection, and love over us—and that identity is not based on our performance, but His unchanging grace. 

We understand this declaration as rooted in baptism, where God calls us by name and makes us His own. As Martin Luther wrote, Baptism “works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this.” When God says “you are mine,” it’s not just poetic language—it’s sacramental reality. You were marked with the sign of the cross, named, and sealed as His child. That matters deeply when life unravels. Hardship, illness, grief—these are not signs that God has let go of you. Quite the opposite: He is the One holding you. Through Baptism, He joined you to Christ’s death and resurrection. So even now, in the overwhelming valley of suffering, your identity is secure. You belong to the One who conquered death. The One who knows you by name.

The world would have you believe that suffering is a sign you’ve been forgotten. But scripture tells a better story: God claimed you at the font. He sustains you through His Word. He feeds you with the body and blood of Christ through the sacrament of communion. You are His! So today, as fear and fatigue try to speak louder, let this promise drown them out: “I have called you by name. You are mine.”

And because you are His, nothing can separate you from His love.

Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado