Isaiah 42:6

Isaiah

I spent some quite time reading Isaiah 42 this morning, and was especially struck by verse 6:

“I will also hold you by the hand and watch over you” (NIV).

In context, this verse is a prophecy spoken to the “Messiah Servant”: Jesus who was still to be incarnated for the first time.  Because of that, this verse speaks to me of Jesus’ need for assurance  – even though he was part of the Trinity, he still needed to be reassured of his Father God’s presence and guidance.

This is vividly clear in Luke 22, where Jesus prays in garden of Gethsemane:

“He knelt down and began to pray, saying, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.’  Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him.  And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground” (Luke 22:42 – 44).

So even Jesus needed to be comforted and reminded of God’s active presence in his life.

This speaks volumes to me of God’s character.  He promises Jesus that he will be involved in every moment, giving comfort and reassurance that Jesus won’t have to “go-it alone,” even through the darkest hours.

The book of Isaiah is also a prophecy to the people of Israel, so in context, God is also speaking this promise to his chosen nation.  That means, then, that this compassion is part of His nature.  If God is capable of feeling compassion for His people, and I am grafted into His family by my belief in Jesus, then I can believe that He feels the same about me.  I can trust that He will hold me by the hand and watch over me.

This also tells me that it is not “against the rules” to be unable to remain alone, to be incapable of doing it all on my own all of the time.  It is okay to need help and reassurance.  That may sound like common sense to most everyone, but it was revelatory for me.  To know that it’s okay if I can’t do everything on my own, that it’s okay if I’m not strong enough to solve all of the problems or smart enough to answer all of the questions, was an astounding revelation for someone like me, who is obsesses with obeying all of the rules.  Not only do we not have to do it alone, but we weren’t meant to.

That is sooooo very comforting.  Not only am I not subject to the vagrancies and whims of “fate,” but I am watched over and cared for by the Most High God.

Awesome.

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