I Am Your God

"Do not fear, for I am with you;

Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,

Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

Isaiah 41:10

I'm currently in a women's Bible study that requires homework every day. I like to work on mine in the early morning. One of this morning's tasks was to personalize a particular scripture. To put my name in place of  the pronouns in the verse. It's an exercise I've done before and its very effective in helping me make God's promises in the Bible mine. Isaiah 41:10 is such a great promise; one that I think we all need to personalize for those times when we are anxious and worried. So play along with me and let's personalize this one together. I'm using the Amplified Bible version so we really get a double whammy impact of this verse. Ready? Let's get started. Wherever there's a blank, put in your name. Say it aloud:

"Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with ________; do not look around _______ in terror and be dismayed, for I am _______'s God. I will strengthen and harden ________  to difficulties, yes, I will help __________; yes, I will hold _______up and retain _________ with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice."

God loves you and wants you to see scripture as much more than words on a page. He wants you to recognize it as His truth and promise to you. He is faithful and will never forsake you. He says to you, "I am your God"

What God Has Promised

And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And He said to them,“Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 

Mark 4:37-40

I suppose we can't blame the disciples for being afraid and believing the Lord didn't care about their dire situation. After all, they were in a "fierce gale" and it appeared they might drown. But they had forgotten what Jesus had said before they set sail: "Let us go over to the other side" (v. 35). The Lord intended to remain with them and together they would cross to the other shore. They were in the same boat as Jesus. His will was to calm the storm and that's what He did. But what about the times the Lord doesn't stop the storm? Sometimes it rages on. Suffering continues, loved ones are taken from us, financial ruin happens. Does that mean God doesn't care and that He has abandoned us? No. Jesus said, "In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) God has promised "never to leave us nor forsake us" (Deuteronomy 31:6). "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28). 


God Hath Not Promised
By Annie Johnson Flint

God hath not promised skies always blue
Flower strewn pathways, all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.


But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labour, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing kindness, undying love.


God hath not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptations, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.


But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labour, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing kindness, undying love.


God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain, rocky and steep,
Never a river turbid and deep.


But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labour, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing kindness, undying love.


Crippled and twisted most of her life with arthritis, Annie Johnson Flint knew a lot about suffering. Her disease helped her understand and encourage others who also were suffering.

Mary's Return Home

"Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months. Then she returned home."

Luke 1:56

Dr. Luke doesn't tell us if Mary was pregnant when she left Elizabeth, but it's likely she was. I wonder if Mary took the long way home. Was she anxious to see her parents again? Or was she filled with dread at the prospect of telling them she was expecting? Perhaps she rehearsed in her mind what she would say to Joseph, her betrothed. "Now Joseph, I have something to tell you. You're not going to believe this, but an amazing miracle has happened. I'm expecting the Messiah, but I'm still a virgin." Mary might have comforted herself with Elizabeth's words, "And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord." Or maybe she repeated The Magnificat, continuing her praise of the Almighty. Then again, she may have clung to the words of Gabriel, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus." She may have reasoned that God would fulfill His promise, in the very way His messenger had said He would. And that she, indeed, had nothing to fear. 

Glorious Hope

"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also."

John 14:1-3

Here is our blessed Savior, eating the last supper with His disciples in the shadow of the cross. In a few hours one of the twelve will betray Him and He will taste the bitterness of Calvary. But for now He is focused on comforting those closest to Him, promising them that even though they will be separated from Him, He will take care of them. He is going to prepare a place for them, that they will one day be with Him in Heaven. What a beautiful picture of the compassion and love of our Lord, always putting others before Himself. Even facing His own death, He gave hope to His disciples. We can share in that hope today. The promise He made to His disciples that night in the upper room, belongs to us, too. Christ will come back and take us home. What a glorious day is ahead of us!

The "I Will" God

Then God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name." I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.""

Genesis 17:15-16

When God says "I will", He delivers.  From the first "I will" in Genesis 2:18 (I will make a helper suitable for him) to the last "I will" in Revelation 21:7 (I will be his God and he will be My son), God keeps His word. He kept His I wills to Sarah and Abraham and to all who came after them. He's keeping His I wills today and He'll keep them tomorrow. This is so important for us to understand and believe, especially for those times when we are in distress. The enemy tries to persuade us that the Lord doesn't care, that He won't help us, but Jesus' promised, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." Are you in need of an I will right now? Run to the "I will" God.

A Promise Fulfilled

"Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace,

         According to Your word; 

    For my eyes have seen Your salvation, 

    Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 

    A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES,

         And the glory of Your people Israel."

Luke 2:29-32

Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to be presented to the Lord. Simeon, whom the Bible describes as a "righteous and devout" man, takes the babe in his arms and blesses God. Sometime in his life God had promised Simeon that he would see the Messiah before he died.   Scripture says Simeon came to the temple "in the Spirit". Only the Holy Spirit could reveal the presence of the newborn Messiah to him. We don't know how long Simeon had to wait for the fulfillment of God's promise, but we do know that God came through. He always does.