0:00 Good morning.0:01 There is a promise today, made just for you.0:04 It says: do not fear, for I am with you.0:08 Last time we were together, we spoke of the peace that comes from knowing we have a Shepherd to guide us.0:17 Today, we turn from the path He shows us, to the hand He offers us.0:22 This is a promise of strength for whatever you are facing.0:27 Let’s listen to the word of the Lord, from the book of the prophet Isaiah, chapter forty-one, verse ten.0:36 “So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.0:43 I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” That is a promise with layers.0:52 Like a rope woven from many threads, each one adding to its strength.0:58 Let’s look at them, one by one.1:01 First, it begins with a simple command: "Do not fear." And right away, it gives the reason: "for I am with you." This isn't just a suggestion to feel better.1:14 It's an invitation to change your focus.1:18 Fear so often comes from a feeling of being alone in the struggle.1:23 Alone with the diagnosis, alone in the decision, alone with the worry that keeps you awake at night.1:32 And here, God speaks directly into that isolation.1:36 He says, I am HERE.1:38 With you.1:38 In this very room, at this very table.1:42 His presence is the antidote to fear.1:45 Here's what that means for your heart today.1:49 It means you can look at the thing that scares you, and know that you are not looking at it by yourself.1:57 There is another presence beside you, a divine presence, who is not scared at all.2:04 Then, the second thread.2:06 "Do not be dismayed, for I am your God." To be dismayed is to lose courage, to be overwhelmed by the size of the problem.2:17 It’s that sinking feeling when you realize you are out of your depth.2:23 But the promise here isn't that the problems will shrink.2:28 The promise is that your God is bigger.2:31 The relationship is the anchor.2:33 He isn't just a god, some distant, abstract power.2:38 He is YOUR God.2:39 Personal.2:40 Invested.2:41 Committed to you.2:42 So when you feel that wave of dismay rising, you can plant your feet on this truth: the one who made the universe calls Himself yours.2:53 And that changes the balance of power completely.2:58 Then comes the action.2:59 This is the third thread, and it’s so important.3:04 "I will strengthen you and help you." This isn't a passive comfort.3:09 This is active intervention.3:12 Notice it says "I will." It's a future tense promise you can stand on right now.3:18 He doesn't say, "I hope you find some strength." He says, "I WILL strengthen you." It’s a direct deposit of divine power into your weakness.3:30 And "I will help you." That means He gets involved in the details.3:36 He is not just watching from a distance, wishing you well.3:41 He is a helper.3:42 This means you can stop trying to generate strength on your own.3:48 You can stop pretending you have it all together.3:52 Your job is simply to open your hands and receive the help that is being offered.3:59 And finally, the last thread, this beautiful image: "I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Think about that.4:09 To uphold something is to keep it from falling.4:13 To support it from underneath.4:15 And He does it with His "righteous right hand." In the scriptures, the right hand is the symbol of power, of authority, of salvation.4:27 It is His strongest hand.4:29 He is not holding you up tentatively.4:32 He is holding you with all His divine power and all His perfect goodness.4:38 You are secure.4:40 So as you walk into your day, remember this.4:43 You are not just being watched over.4:46 You are being held.4:48 You are not just being thought of.4:51 You are being strengthened.4:53 Whatever comes, you do not face it alone.4:57 You face it in the grip of His righteous right hand.5:01 And that changes everything.
