Relax. The Lord is With You

Key Verse to Read and Treasure

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will hold you with My righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10, NASB)

For Insight

The promises of God in this one verse are numerous. God promises:

To be with us

To strengthen us

To help us

To support us

To be our righteous right hand

Because the Word of God is living and good for every age (Hebrews 4:12) it doesn’t matter that God initially spoke these promises to the Israelites. They are as applicable for us today as they were back then. They are intended for our comfort and assurance now as then.

More than anyone, God has a keen, superior, supernatural sense of how we are as (frail) humans, as he reminds us in Psalm 103: 14 when he says, “For I know your frame; you are dust).

God knows we can’t take very much pressure and that we become anxious very quickly. When trouble comes or problems arise God hears our heartbeat quickening, he sees our eyes darting, our little human head looking around anxiously, looking for the answer, looking for help, looking for a way out, looking frantically. He sees us picking up our phone to call a friend or relative, searching here and there for a solution, getting worked up in our spirit.

To look around anxiously isn’t just a position or condition of the heart and mind it’s a visible activity. When we look around anxiously, we are showing outward uneasiness or nervousness. We are outwardly and visibly apprehensive, showing worry. Directing and darting our eyes about us, extremely fidgety. God sees us as we are looking around anxiously and he says we don’t need to let our emotions or thoughts rise to that level but remember he is here with us, remember that he is our powerful and sovereign God.

The day Jesus and his disciples came to the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus, Martha showed signs of anxiousness (Read Luke 10:38-42). She was a caterer by trade, but it seemed the large group in her home that day made her nervous. Perhaps it was the thought of preparing a meal on the spur of the moment for one such as Jesus and wanting everything to be just right. Although her vocation was cooking, in her nervousness, she began to pick at her sister Mary who was seated comfortably at Jesus’ feet. Martha’s eyes must have been darting back and forth, her heart beating quickly, her mind racing, until she landed on Mary who seemed to be too relaxed sitting at Jesus’ feet. Martha tried to pull Jesus into her nervousness by telling him to make Mary come help her. Jesus recognized Martha’s anxious state and sternly admonished her. He knew that level of anxiety was not healthy emotionally nor spiritually. “Martha, Martha, I see you are anxious and troubled by many things…” Jesus didn’t say he sensed Martha’s anxiety and nervousness in his spirit, he said, “I see you are anxious and troubled by many things.” Apparently, Martha’s anxiety has risen to the level of being visible.    

When our anxiety escalates from inward to external God warns and admonishes us also. He knows it’s not spiritually, mentally, physically, nor emotionally healthy or helpful and reminds us there is no need, since he is our God and he   

is with us

will strengthen us

will help us

Supports us

and is our righteous right hand.

God is with us at all times so we don’t need to look around anxiously concerning anything.

Heavenly Father, at times my inner anxiety rises to the level of being outwardly visibly when this happens you can see me looking anxiously about. I pray for your promises to rise within me also. Let each one keep me from that state of nervousness and anxiety; there is no need for me to be because you are my God with me always. Amen

Ask Yourself

Have I ever experienced that level of anxiety? When was the last time? How did God deal with me?

for more devotions on anxiety see http://www.devotionallyyours.com