Held and Upheld!

Held and Upheld!

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 NIV

First of all, it should be noted that today's extract addresses specific people: Israel, God's servant, Jacob, chosen of God. The people here had no hand in the matter; but by virtue of Abraham's walk with God, his descendants became God's chosen people. My walk with God may be the key to unlocking greatness for the generation coming after me. Men like David walked with God and his children after him enjoyed stupendous blessings. Men like Eli got careless and even the covenant of priesthood was taken away from him and his generation. It matters what I do now. 

My walk with God is therefore the key to unlocking the promises here. I can't lay claim to the blessings of God's presence if He is not present in and with me. The basis of my being able to confront fear is the reality of God's presence with me. He deals with fear, and gives me the confidence to face life's challenges. Times of dismay and distress are here, but his strength and help are all I need to stay strong and keep working. 

What this means is that the times of distress and pain are inevitable. Nowhere does God promise that all will be smooth sailing all life long. However, before those times come, we have the assurance of God's amazing presence and power at our disposal. In the days of weakness, He is there. In the days of pain, He is there. In the days of joy and favour too, He is there. My biggest concern then has to be this: do I have God with me? As I face life's challenges, is God an ever-present help with me, or just one of my many 'viable' options? 

If my life will make sense and make impact, I must sort out my allegiance. I must work out what God wants of me, and strive to please Him by daily obedience. The benefits of doing this will last a lifetime, and also usher me into eternity. I should not live for this present earthly phase alone; I must keep an eye on eternity. May His grace hold us to the end. His time of favour is here.