Isaiah 41:1-16: a reflection

1“Keep silent before me, islands, and let the peoples renew their strength. Let them come near, then let them speak. Let’s meet together for judgment. 2Who has raised up one from the east? Who called him to his feet in righteousness? He hands over nations to him and makes him rule over kings. He gives them like the dust to his sword, like the driven stubble to his bow. 3He pursues them and passes by safely, even by a way that he had not gone with his feet. 4Who has worked and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last, I am he.” 5The islands have seen, and fear. The ends of the earth tremble. They approach, and come. 6Everyone helps his neighbor. They say to their brothers, “Be strong!” 7So the carpenter encourages the goldsmith. He who smooths with the hammer encourages him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, “It is good;” and he fastens it with nails, that it might not totter. 8“But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham my friend, 9you whom I have taken hold of from the ends of the earth, and called from its corners, and said to you, ‘You are my servant. I have chosen you and have not cast you away.’ 10Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness. 11Behold, all those who are incensed against you will be disappointed and confounded. Those who strive with you will be like nothing, and shall perish. 12You will seek them, and won’t find them, even those who contend with you. Those who war against you will be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing. 13For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I will help you.’ 14Don’t be afraid, you worm Jacob, and you men of Israel. I will help you,” says the LORD. “Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. 15Behold, I have made you into a new sharp threshing instrument with teeth. You will thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and will make the hills like chaff. 16You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away, and the whirlwind will scatter them. You will rejoice in the LORD. You will glory in the Holy One of Israel.

To his fearful people, God speaks some of the most reassuring words in all Scripture: do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will strengthen you, help you, uphold you. Don't be afraid, for I am with you, God says; don't be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness. And again: I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, don't be afraid; I will help you. To his people, small and fearful, God gives repeated assurance of his presence and help: he is with them, he will strengthen, help, and uphold them, holding their hand. This is God's reassurance to the fearful: I am with you, I will help you. God says to the fearful, do not fear, I am with you and will help you. God promises his presence and help to his fearful people. God strengthens, helps, and upholds; he holds our hand. Do not fear, for God is with you and will help you.

Notice how God addresses the fears of his people, and what he promises. He does not simply command them not to fear; he gives them reasons, grounded in himself. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; that is the ground of not fearing: God's presence. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God; and then the promises: I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness. God even pictures himself holding his fearful people by the hand, saying, do not be afraid, I will help you. This is God's tender reassurance to those who are small, weak, and afraid. He meets their fear not with rebuke but with the assurance of his presence and his help. And these words are for us too, when we are fearful and dismayed. God is with us; he will strengthen, help, and uphold us; he holds us by the hand. We need not be governed by our fears, for God is with us and has promised to help. God meets our fear with the assurance of his presence and help. We need not fear, for God is with us and will uphold us. God holds his fearful people by the hand. God's presence and help are the ground for not fearing.

That is worth resting in, for God is with us and has promised to strengthen, help, and uphold us, so that we need not be governed by our fears. We can be small and fearful, dismayed by what we face, feeling weak and alone; but God says to his people, do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will strengthen you, help you, uphold you, and hold your hand. God meets our fear with his presence. When you are afraid and dismayed, remember that God is with you and has promised to help and uphold you. Rest in the truth that God is with us and has promised to strengthen, help, and uphold us, so that we need not be governed by our fears, as God said to his fearful people, do not be afraid, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness, and I will hold your right hand; for God does not simply command us not to fear but gives us reasons grounded in himself, his presence with us and his promise to strengthen, help, and uphold us, meeting our fear not with rebuke but with the assurance of his presence and help, even picturing himself holding his fearful people by the hand, so that when we are small, weak, and afraid, dismayed by what we face and feeling alone, we can rest in knowing that God is with us, will uphold us, and holds us by the hand, and need not be ruled by our fears.

Lord, to your fearful people, you speak some of the most reassuring words in all Scripture: do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will strengthen you, help you, uphold you. Don't be afraid, for I am with you, you say; don't be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness. And again: I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, don't be afraid; I will help you. To your people, small and fearful, you give repeated assurance of your presence and help: you are with them, you will strengthen, help, and uphold them, holding their hand. This is your reassurance to me when I am fearful. Show me how you address the fears of your people, and what you promise. You do not simply command them not to fear; you give them reasons, grounded in yourself. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; that is the ground of not fearing: your presence. And then the promises: I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you. You even picture yourself holding your fearful people by the hand. This is your tender reassurance to those who are small, weak, and afraid. You meet their fear not with rebuke but with the assurance of your presence and help. And these words are for me too, when I am fearful and dismayed. You are with me; you will strengthen, help, and uphold me; you hold me by the hand. Let me rest in that, for you are with me and have promised to strengthen, help, and uphold me, so that I need not be governed by my fears. When I am afraid and dismayed, feeling weak and alone, help me remember that you are with me, Lord, and have promised to help and uphold me and hold my hand, so that I am not ruled by my fears but rest in your presence and help.