To Encourage You

Isaiah 41:9-10 “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.”

The preciousness of the promises of God cannot be overstated.  They are words of certainty in a world of uncertainty. They are anchors for our soul, if we will only believe. 

In the words from Isaiah 41 above, God is speaking to his servants.  In the specific case in which these words were written, He was speaking to Israel, at least to those Israelites who truly were His servants.  But He is speaking to all believers everywhere in this day and age just as well, for we who know Him are called to serve Him (1 Peter 4:10; John 12:26; Colossians 3:24; Ephesians 2:10).  It is in that service that the promises above are true, and how awesome are these promises to every believer. 

So, what are those acts of service? To what has God called us who are His?  The fact is that we serve Him in every area of life.  In my case, God has called me and sovereignly led me to be a father, a husband, a grandfather, a brother, a son, an uncle, a nephew, a cousin, and a grandson as a result of the familial relationships He has ordained for me. Beyond that, I am a friend, a coworker, and a neighbor to others who are part of my life in those ways.  Within the church I am a board member and a Sunday School teacher.  In each and every one of these roles I am called by God to love, for this is His greatest command.  And in each and every one of these roles I commanded by God that in “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24). 

These commands to love and to serve carry with them comprehensive responsibilities to the God I serve and the people I serve.  If you are a believer, the same holds true for you.  So how can we fulfill these responsibilities in a way that honors God?  We are so imperfect in our capabilities, ignorant in so many ways, with weaknesses and limitations that can appear daunting at times. How can we ever hope to serve well?  But it is here that the wonderful promises of God come alongside to comfort and encourage us like nothing else can.  God has given us His very word that He will strengthen us, help us, and uphold us with His righteous right hand. Notice that He hasn’t said that He “might” do these things, or “could” do these things, but that he absolutely “will” do these things.  How He does them may be different for each one of us, for we are all unique, but He knows us better than we know ourselves and He knows how best to enable us to do what He has called us to. 

It is in belief in these promises and trust in God’s Word that fear is cast down and dismay is held at bay, no matter how overwhelming our responsibilities may seem.  Abiding in Him, trusting Him, drawing near to Him – it is in these things that we are strengthened and given the capacity to serve Him.  It was Jesus who said “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).  And so fruitfulness in service is the blessing to the believer who wholly leans on our Lord for strength.

May God help us to abide in Him, the omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent Helper Who has promised to help, strengthen, and uphold those who serve Him with His omnipotent and righteous right hand.