Isaiah prophesied over Israel of a time when they would be in captivity in a foreign, pagan land and they would feel dejected and forsaken. In 40:27 they seem to be in that place feeling that God no longer saw them and no longer answered their prayers. But in chapter 41:13 God gives this assurance and promise, “For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, Fear not, I will help you.” Keep in mind that Israel – the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – will forever be His covenant people; today however because of Christ who is the seed of Abraham according to Galatians 3:16, 29 believers in Him from all nations are made a part of that covenant family, and “heirs according to the promise.” Then God continues in Isaiah 41:14 by referring to Jacob (Israel) as a worm; perhaps the Israelites may have even felt that way about themselves, considering the weakness, frailty, and helpless that we may think of when viewing a worm. But God continues in verse 15 saying, “Behold, I will make you into a new threshing sledge with sharp teeth; You shall thresh the mountains and beat them small…” Yes, God would turn things around and they would conquer those difficult “mountains”! Today you may be facing “mountains” of difficulty – adversity, sickness, misunderstanding, rejection, Etc. – you may feel weak and frail like a worm, but I have good news; Hebrews 11:34 points to people who by faith, “out of weakness were made strong”. In 2 Corinthians 12:9 God told Paul, “My strength is made perfect in weakness”; based on that promise in the next verse Paul declares “when I am weak, then I am strong”! It is not of ourselves, but His strength working in us by faith, as He told Zerubbabel in Zachariah 4:6-7; it is “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts…” Stand firm on the word of the Lord until you see the end result of His plan and purpose, in which burdens are taken away and yokes are destroyed “because of the anointing” Isaiah 10:27.
His plan
By Rose Hill
May things go according to Your plan,
For You have promised to hold my hand.
From fear of trouble I am freed,
For You will send the help I need.
Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version copyright …1982 by Thomas Nelson Co. used by permission.