But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
For I am the LORD your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I gave Egypt for your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
Since you were precious in My sight,
You have been honored,
And I have loved you;
Therefore I will give men for you,
And people for your life.
Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your descendants from the east,
And gather you from the west;—Isaiah 43:1-5
I read these words from Isaiah 43 last night and was comforted. Pain, loss, sickness, broken hearts and broken dreams may abound in this life but these words from Isaiah remind me that in all of it His grace abounds much more. So often in the midst of a trial when I am feeling swallowed up by pain and suffering, it is easy for me to forget the very thing that I need to remember. Love Himself goes with me. So when I feel like I am in over my head, I need not be afraid. My Immanuel is right there with me. His love will see me through. He has a divine purpose for all I go through. His grace is sufficient. He who formed me…the Holy One of Israel, my Savior will do it. I am His, and I am precious in His sight.
He brought me to the banqueting house,
And his banner over me was love.—Song of Solomon 2:4
His left hand is under my head,
And his right hand embraces me.—Song of Solomon 2:6
I am my beloved's,
And my beloved is mine.
He feeds his flock among the lilies.—Song of Solomon 6:3
Who is this coming up from the wilderness,
Leaning upon her beloved?—Song of Solomon 8:5
My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.—2 Corinthians 12:9-10
If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?—Romans 8:31-32
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.—Romans 8:37-30
'I will go before you
And make the crooked places straight;
I will break in pieces the gates of bronze
And cut the bars of iron.
I will give you the treasures of darkness
And hidden riches of secret places,
That you may know that I, the LORD,
Who call you by your name,
Am the God of Israel.—Isaiah 45:2-3
