Isaiah 41:10 – Verse of the Day 6/1/13

 
After spending the bulk of his prophecy speaking of the impending conquest of the people of Israel by the Assyrians (Isaiah 7-39), in chapter 40 Isaiah turns to God’s restoration of His people. Chapter 41 opens with the language of a courtroom, as Isaiah plays the defense attorney responding to the challenge that Israel is beyond redemption. Isaiah’s central claim is that Israel’s salvation does not depend on its own faithfulness, whether as individuals or as a nation, but rather upon the faithfulness of God. Israel does not need to fear because God is faithful and has promised to uphold them with his righteous right hand.

For some of us, our primary problem is that we do not fear God enough – we rarely think openly and honestly about the reality of our sin and its consequences. On the other hand, others of us are only too aware of our struggles with unfaithfulness. As you pray, ask God to give you a healthy fear. Ask God to give you a simultaneous sense of both his awesome righteousness and his incredible mercy. Thank God that He is both powerful to save and willing to do so.