We Are Held, In The Hand Of God

DO NOT BE AFRAID (Isaiah 40-41) "God said, “With whom, then, will you compare God?” (Isaiah 40:18) "When God says to His people, “I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (41:10) “I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you” (41:13). "Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness." (Isaiah 40:21-23) "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31) "But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend; you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off”; fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41: 8-10) "Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish. You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all. For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not,I am the one who helps you.” Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the LORD; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. Behold, I make of you a threshing sledge, new, sharp, and having teeth; you shall thresh jthe mountains and crush them, and you shall make the hills like chaff; you shall winnow them, and lthe wind shall carry them away, and the tempest shall scatter them. And you shall rejoice in the LORD; in the Holy One of Israel you shall glory." Isaiah 41:11-16 Friends, I want to tell you today, that we serve an awsome God, Isaiah 40:18 “With whom, then, will you compare God?” I know that when God says to us, His people “I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (41:10) HE means it, and will be much stronger than any idol we may create. (41:7). Despite the challenges we face as we follow God, He promises to rescue us. He says, “I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you” (v. 13). Today, I am thinking of a lot of people in our community who are going through trials right now, two families facing cancer and one very large familt facing the death of the leader, teacher, husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather. Today my friends, I know you are suffering grief and some may even be questioning God. But the scripture this morning tells me God is holding you in His righteous right hand. For when we face trials, He’ll rescue us too. We’re safe in His hands. The first time I climbed the Chillkoot Pass, I had opportunity to go out on a very narrow ledge that protruded out over a very deep canyon, as I crept closer and closer to the edge so I could look down, keeping my eyes on where I stepped, when I stopped on the very edge, and looked down, my stomach turned as I almost panicked at the distance I would tumble if I fell. If I would have taken a plunge off there would have been no return, I would have met God in death that day. But I was held in His hand. In life, I knew that if I were to fall, God would hold my hand and lift me up, I would be safe in the arms of God. Sometimes, and maybe right now you are also feeling like you are falling. I know life can feel like we have begun to fall, and we seem to be falling further and faster with no one to catch us. I am here today my friends to encourage you, when life seems chaotic and out of control, you can find comfort in knowing that God is with you through it all. If you are a believer, you need to acknowledge that God dwells in you through the Holy Spirit, He is God and He is all powerful and He can hold you. Also, you can speak to Him, He will hear, and He will guid you and comfort you by His love and through the scriptures as you read them, as you know them. Yes, it is true, Just as God assured the Israelites that He would “catch” them, even in the midst of their “fall” of rebellion. He said through the prophet Isaiah, “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). God wanted them to know He would help them through their trials (v. 13). I am telling you, today, God is still the same, yesterday, today and forever. I pray, it is very encouraging for you to also know that God has not abandoned you, even while you are facing these times of grief and sadness, in these trying times we are facing. When our life feels like it’s out of control, we can take courage knowing that God is there to help us. We’re safe in His loving and mighty hand of our God.. Pray with me: Dear God, thank You that I’m safe in Your hands. Hold me today as I navigate these trials, this time of insecurity andsometimes even doubt. Please hold me, as you promised, I am acknowledging your strength in your mighty right hand.. In your name I pray AMEN.