The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection of Leawood, Kansas, United States Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Monday, 29 December 2014 “Don’t fear—you are mine”Daily Scripture: Isaiah 43: When You’re Between a Rock and a Hard Place
1-4 But now, God’s Message,
the God who made you in the first place, Jacob,
the One who got you started, Israel:
“Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you.
I’ve called your name. You’re mine.
When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.
When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you’re between a rock and a hard place,
it won’t be a dead end—
Because I am God, your personal God,
The Holy of Israel, your Savior.
I paid a huge price for you:
all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!
That’s how much you mean to me!
That’s how much I love you!
I’d sell off the whole world to get you back,
trade the creation just for you.
5-7 “So don’t be afraid: I’m with you.
I’ll round up all your scattered children,
pull them in from east and west.
I’ll send orders north and south:
‘Send them back.
Return my sons from distant lands,
my daughters from faraway places.
I want them back, every last one who bears my name,
every man, woman, and child
Whom I created for my glory,
yes, personally formed and made each one.’”
Reflection Questions:
Isaiah 43 came in a section of the book many mainline scholars call “Second Isaiah.” Its prophetic poetry spoke first to Israelites returning from exile in Babylon. The chance to return to their land was welcome, but it took a long, likely dangerous journey, often on foot. “Don’t fear,” was the divine message to them. “I will be with you.” Those words have strengthened and encouraged God’s people in all kinds of challenging or difficult situations ever since.
• Scholar John Oswalt wrote, “The key to [God’s promised redemption] is the personal relationship of God to his people. The recurrence of the pronouns “I” and “you” in 43:1–7 is striking. Twice God says, “I am/will be with you” (vv. 2, 5). He identifies himself by relation to them, calling himself “the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior” (v. 3).” What steps can make your relationship with God personal, not just with an impersonal “force”? How can knowing God personally move your heart beyond fear?
• An ancient tradition said King Manasseh killed Isaiah. The Romans crucified Jesus and beheaded Paul the apostle. Do this passage’s promises ring hollow in light of events like that? No—Hebrews 2:15 said Jesus’ resurrection can “free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” In what ways does fear limit your ability to live for God and others? To what extent has faith in Jesus freed you from the fear of disappointment, grief or even death in this life?
Prayer: God, I’m scared about something too much of the time. But you’re the maker and sustainer of all that is, and your word says, over and over, “Do not fear.” Help me learn to listen better, and to trust you. Amen.
Insight from Chris Holliday
Rev. Chris Holliday serves as the associate minister at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection West.
Today’s GPS prayer is as follows:
God, I’m scared about something too much of the time. But you’re the maker and sustainer of all that is, and your word says, over and over, “Do not fear.” Help me learn to listen better, and to trust you. Amen.
As I prayed that prayer, I thought of the things I fear in life and the pain and suffering we all experience to various degrees as we journey on together. The challenges we face can be physical, mental, emotional, spiritual or maybe a mix of all the above. We are significantly impacted by loss, betrayal, brokenness, depression, major sickness and more. And some of the questions that often arise during those difficult times are: Why did this happen to me? Did God do this? Where is God now? We may become afraid of all that has happened and all that is to come, and we may start to wonder if we can really trust God.
Personally, I do not believe God causes the bad things to happen. What I do believe is that God walks beside us, cries with us and even carries us when we haven’t the strength to go on. I believe God does this throughout our whole lives, and most especially when we are suffering and in the depths of life’s valleys. In times of challenge, I believe it is crucially important to remember the words we find God relaying to us over and over in Scripture, “Do not fear”. And the good news is – if we lean into those words and trust God, and if we listen and stay open to God’s leading, then God can and will help us bring good out of even the worst situations.
May we fear not and may we trust in our compassionate Creator. May we allow God to make beautiful things out of our lives and embrace God’s many promises of hope and new life – promises like these.
We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
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