“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 41:10
So if God will tell you where I was when I was reading this verse in my time with the Lord. I was in Arizona, preaching out there and I was in Sedona, Arizona where there’s all these red rock formations in the mountains. It is beautiful. It is just a tapestry that God and his creativity has painted across those mountains, all these red and orange colorations. It’s just beautiful. So, I’m reading Isaiah 41, verse 10 and just a little background, just what’s going on in my life as I’m reading this, I’m just discouraged about some things going on around me and pretty tempted to despair for reasons it’s not necessary to go into but just in the midst of discouragement despairs.
Those who have trusted in Christ have nothing to fear, for God is our Helper; He promises to uphold us.
This Verse Reminds Us That the Lord is Always With Us
So I open my Bible to my reading for the day. Old Testament, it’s Isaiah 41. I start reading it. I’m sitting there in front of these beautiful red rock formations and I read these words, “Fear not for I am with you. Do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you. I will hold you with my righteous right hand.” What an amazing word from God. Right what my heart needed at that moment, maybe your heart needs at this moment and just to think I’m looking at these red rock formations, I’m thinking, “Whoa, the God who created, formed these mountains is saying to me, I’m yours, I’m your God and he is promising to strengthen me.” Even uses the word, I will help you.
The thought that this God who created these mountains is my helper, is your helper, the God who created the world is your helper and he’s promised to hold you up with his right hand. Oh, remain encouraged today, no matter what is going on in your life. You trusted in Christ, you’ve been reconciled to God. Fear not, he is with you. Don’t become discouraged or dismayed. He is your God. He will strengthen you and he will help you. He’s your helper. He will uphold you today with his righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10 Shows Us That God is Righteous
Oh God, we praise you for these promises. We glorify. Thank you for these promises. We say together and have no reason to fear. We have no reason to feel dismayed in this world. You are our God. You will strengthen us today. And, you will help us. God, we praise you for the help that you promised to give us today in so many ways all throughout our lives. Today You will be our helper. You uphold us with your righteous right hand. Oh God, hold us up today by your righteous right hand all for the glory of your name. Oh God, thank you. Thank you for speaking to our hearts exactly what we need through your word. Thank you for speaking promises to us that we need to hear. We praise you as our helper, our upholder as our God in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Listen to Pray the Word. Short, daily meditations on God’s Word that not only drive us to pray, but drive how we pray. Featuring teacher, author, and pastor David Platt.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
