LEARNING DAILY

 

Isaiah 41:10, Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God, I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

 

The unknown of the rest of the day and tomorrow would be frightening without Jesus in my life! Every day, attacks against Christianity are happening around the world, including our own country. Churches are being attacked, statues of Jesus are being knocked over and destroyed and more and more restrictions are being placed on those who speak out. The latest personality to be attacked is sportscaster Tony Dungy. When Damar Hamlin was experiencing a life and death on the football field, Dungy referred to those who would kneel during the National Anthem and wanting nothing to do with God, now were calling on Him. He also made some unfavorable comments that offended those supporting abortion and the LGBTQ people.

One wonders where all of this heading!

 

As Christians, we are told to “fear not”! We are to “fear not” because God, the Creator of all things is with us; He will strengthen us and defend us with His righteous right hand! Does that give you comfort? Are you encouraged by being told not to fear? You should be! When reading the Old Testament, we are able to see that the nation of Israel was continually facing things they could be fearful of. I am continually amazed how easily it is to relate these things to what we face in our country today.

 

The context of Isaiah 41 is Israel, a nation in exile, a nation that God has the power, the ability, and the desire to deliver out of its situation. Isaiah is telling the people of Israel that God loves them, and the nation has a future beyond their situation. Go ahead and read this chapter. Through Isaiah, God is telling them none of the nations against them has the same power and ability as Him. They are not to fear any humans because He is with them; this is not because Israel is good but because God alone is good. Isaiah is telling Israel that the gods of these pagan people are worthless and to not be tempted to accept them; instead, they are to embrace the One True God who can actually help them.

 

What are non-believers, non-Christians turning to today for their help, for their needs to be taken care of? The government wants people to turn to it to be their source for everything. They want their college debt to be paid for or forgiven, they want the government to supplement their salaries to pay for groceries, and the list continues to grow. It seems like the nations around Israel who were turning to idols to save them from that which they feared. Again, I write that God wants His people to turn to Him, to “fear not” because He is with us.

 

I am certainly not saying there is nothing to fear in this world. We are being told to get shots, wear masks, and to not go here or there because of something bad. There is sickness, famine, increasing prices, the increase of natural disasters, and “global warning”. Yes, there are plenty of things that are worthy to be fearful of! But the message of Isaiah 41 is God is bigger than anything we might fear! When God is in our lives, we do not need to fear.

 

To be dismayed means to be anxious about something. Anxiety is real – I know! But again, when God is in our lives, we do not need to worry. Most things people worry about are out of their control; worrying does absolutely nothing to change anything. Actually, the only thing worry does is to take away or rob you of the life you have in Jesus Christ. By the way, concern for something is different than worrying over it. When we walk the narrow way, our needs are provided for us because He takes care of them.

 

Let me finish by encouraging you to take your eyes off your circumstances and place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. By doing so, fear can be overcome and the peace that passes all understanding will come upon you (Philippians 4:6-7). Jesus said that walking the narrow way would be difficult; but He is with you, willing to guide you with His “righteous right hand” as a father takes the hand of his son or daughter, encouraging him/her as they walk together through the circumstances of life.