God is With Us as We Deal with Challenges
Wednesday’s Verse:
From Isaiah 41:10 ESV
“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.”
Even with the greatest health insurance, most people are one illness away from the poorhouse. Getting sick is expensive. I’m not talking about coming down with a cold and running off to pay $16 for NyQuil at CVS kind of sick. I mean sick - sick. Cancer. Heart disease. Some other illness with a really long name. I thought about this when I received a bill on Monday for cancer medication that totaled over $1,100. Staring at those numbers alarmed me. But I don’t have anything to complain about. God will see me through it.
As He will see you through your personal challenges and worries.
A long time ago, a pastor-friend told me to “give my worries over to God” and let Him deal with them. It didn’t help ease my fear at the time. All it did was make me wonder if I was a good enough person for God to help. I know that sounds ludicrous coming from a pastor. Yet when you and I are facing troubles, we could think that God will not help us since we sinners are pretty good at doing sin rather than good. So why would God help us?
Isaiah 41 gives us the answer. God told the people of Israel, as they faced trouble upon trouble with the pending invasion of the Babylonians, that they should not fear, for He is always with them. He promised to strengthen them through their hardship and to uphold them. Most importantly, God reminded them that even though they had sinned against Him, He was still their God.
This is the same promise He makes to us in our challenges. He is our God. We are His people. Don’t fear. Trust Him.
Whether you’re facing bills with enough zeros in them or a sickness with a lot of letters in the name, remember your God upholds and loves you through it all. Pray. Praise. Give thanks for Jesus. He will help you through them.
✝️ A Prayer for Today:
Gracious Father, keep us all on the right path of faith, trusting in Your promises, as we travel through the struggles of this life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Luther’s Morning Prayer:
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
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