Verse of the Day 2/2
13 For I, the Lord your God,
hold your right hand;it is I who say to you, "Fear not, I am the one who helps you."14 Fear not, you worm Jacob,
you men of Israel!
I am the one who helps you, declares the Lord;
your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
There are many verses and places in the Bible where we are told to expect "trials" of varioius klinds (James 1:2 comes to mind first). How are we to react to it? James says "count it all joy, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But as Christians we don't go it alone. Today's verses and passage give us a picutre of how this is accomplished.
How many of us have walked with our kids or grandkids side by side along a path or sidewalk or through a parking lot. They may even run ahead of us. But when we are about to cross the streat or cross the aisle in a parking lot we call to them and take their hand. They have learned to respect or even fear the danger of traffic, of cars but trust in us to bring them safely to the other side. That's the picture here.
When Isaiah speaks to the people as "worm" of Jacob, he is not calling them that himself, rather it is how the Jewish people were looked upon by their enemies. No value, no respect, the lowest of the low. But he will take them and lead them that they would become a "threshing sledge", a board with rollers and sharp teeth to thresh grain. It is a picture of a wood chipper or even a paper shredder. God would take them enable them to be overcomers and the problem would be blown away like the chaff in the wind.
George Milne gives us a list of the ways that our God helps us, how He takes us by the hand.
He will help you . . .
against sin;
against Satan;
against the world;
against your own evil heart.
He will help you . . .
when you are weary;
when you are downcast;
in the time of trial; and
in the hour of temptation.
He will help you to understand;
He will help you to pray;
He will help you to fight;
He will help you to avoid the snares;
He will help you to despise the vanities of this poor world.
Ah, my fellow-sinner, this help is promised, because you need it all.
Fear not, God is there to help youl, He is your Redeemer.
Blessings,
Mike
Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace. NIV
11 Behold, all who are incensed against you
shall be put to shame and confounded;
those who strive against you
shall be as nothing and shall perish.
12 You shall seek those who contend with you,
but you shall not find them;
those who war against you
shall be as nothing at all.
13 For I, the Lord your God,
hold your right hand;
it is I who say to you, "Fear not,
I am the one who helps you."
14 Fear not, you worm Jacob,
you men of Israel!
I am the one who helps you, declares the Lord;
your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
15 Behold, I make of you a threshing sledge,
new, sharp, and having teeth;
you shall thresh the mountains and crush them,
and you shall make the hills like chaff;
16 you shall winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away,
and the tempest shall scatter them.
And you shall rejoice in the Lord;
in the Holy One of Israel you shall glory.
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