‘Held by God (Agora Nyugati Budapest)
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“But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend,
9 I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’ I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.11 “All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced;
those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish.
12 Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them.
Those who wage war against you
will be as nothing at all.
13 For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
14 Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, little Israel, do not fear, for I myself will help you,” declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. -
19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
On my 23rd birthday everything in the garden looked rosy – Accountant, successful in sport, active in Church, 4-bedroom house. Two days later, I was a broken, paralysed young man. In an instant, a car crash catapulted me into the ranks of the handicapped, disabled, crippled – all words people would use to describe me.
How was I going to fare in this new unwanted life before me? A life I didn’t see coming, a life I didn’t welcome, a physical predicament that I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
How was my faith going to hold up. Have you ever feared that your faith might fail? Have you worried you might not be able to hold on in the time of trial?
In Isa 41:10 we find that the Lord is holding on to you.
[1] Held means Present,
[2] Held means Helped
[3] Held means Anchored
Held means Present
During the first few weeks in Hospital in the Spinal Injuries Unit, I lay motionless padded in one position for my broken vertebrae to heal and fuse together – the spinal cord was severed, it would not heal. As I lay for 8 long weeks, the Hospital psychotherapist visited and said it would be usual to experience fear, depression and anger, before I found resilience to live this new life as a disabled person. The depression didn’t happen. In actual fact, I felt held through it all. Scriptures continued to minister to me daily, I kept a diary of the Lord’s sustaining words and promises. During the crash I had a Bible in my back pocket, a Sunday School prize it survived the accident. In those weeks when they expected me to get depressed instead, I felt held, nourished by words that dropped from those pages every day, like Hebrews 13v5 ‘I will never leave you.’ Held is personal.
Hear the Lord's promise – ‘do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed for I am your God - I will strengthen you and help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.’ Isa 41:13 I am the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not”
Notice the repetition of the pronouns I am with you, I am your God, I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you……He is present, ‘I am with you’ ‘I am your God’ ‘I will help you’ object of the pronoun is you!
When we encounter difficult times, it is so easy to focus on the trauma and be overwhelmed – helpless, alone - even when family and friends are around - they are not where you are. When the givens in life are taken, things look very different – independence, health, finances, relationships.
In Isa 41:10 the Lord tells us not to fear the predicament – why?
Ans: because ‘I am with you’ – he is present, don't focus on the issue - look to him. ‘Fear not’ [x365] is another way of saying trust me - I will uphold you hold you up [Uphold].
When he ascended to the right hand of the father, Hebrews 6:19 assures us that we are anchored to him at the right hand of the Father. We are tethered to the Lord – amazing.
The risen ascended Saviour is present with us, holding us fast Ftr Son HS. You could not be more secure, more held, you could not be in a safer place, better place than be held in the loving arms of our God.
Held means Helped
(Isa 41:10) I will strengthen you and help you; (Isa 41:14) do not fear, for I myself will help you,” declares the Lord.
Looking back I can see many times in my life when I have known the Lord’s helping hand.
The young 23-year-old Irish lad could show bravado that fooled many. But there were many times when I cried out in frustration and pain. Against that, deep within my soul was a wonder at work, the blessed Holy Spirit my helper at work Jn 14: 26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." When Jesus says ‘I will send another helper’ Jn 14:16 he said ‘allos helper’ meaning exactly the same as Jesus [not hetros]. This Holy Spirit, is the Spirit of Jesus. Allos paracletos. What exactly does helper do? The Greek word is para/kletos. Para-clete can be broken into two: Para = beside and Klete to be called. Someone to ‘call alongside’ you to be with you in battle. Not someone to soothe but someone who will come alongside you and say we can do this together, the paraclete the Holy Spirit gives us power, strength and courage when the going gets tough. We are not expected to do all this on our own we have the helper parakletos. Allos parakletos. Illustration – Kelvin’s story of surviving a car accident on Honister Pass, in England’s Lake District – surviving by repeatedly saying the name of Jesus. Then confirmation in the Bible, Song of Songs 1:3, ‘Thy name is as ointment poured forth’ (KJV). The helper, the parakletos was my ever-present helper, Ps 46:1.
I prayed a desperate prayer and in doing that I called my helper alongside and he gave strength and courage. That same Holy Spirit that is available to us in our tough times.
The Helper was strengthening me with the word of God daily bread. Bringing to remembrance his word of help John 14:26. My survival, my faith is not about me hanging in there - it is because Jesus holds on to us, tight and held fast. If it depended on me, I’d never make it. Jesus right now is holding on to you and eternally embracing you in his everlasting arms and he will not let you go. Right here and now he is your helper, holding on to you lest you fall, lest you stumble, lest you forget to read your bible, lest you lose your temper and say wrong things and blame someone else, or cover so elses car or house or job or wife or girlfriend. Jesus is holding on to you, embracing like a footballer holding back his teammate as he moves to throw a punch or get himself sent off. Jesus is holding on to you glory to his name.
If you feel vulnerable at this time , be it weakness, affliction or sin, (Isa 41:10,14) I will strengthen you and help you; (Isa 41:14) do not fear, for I myself will help you,” declares the Lord.
Held means Anchored
Normally, an anchor is used to keep a boat secure in the ocean. This anchor is hooked not somewhere in the deep sea but to someone (LJC) who has entered into the Holy of Holies on our behalf.
Heb 6:19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
Our anchor is different to a sailing anchor we are anchored UPWARDS, not downwards, the anchor is inside the veil, the Holiest place to Christ our ‘forerunner’ is within the veil. The imagery is of an anchor flung into the Heavenlies, landing within the holiest place beyond the torn curtain.
Do you remember, on the cross, when Jesus died, the Bible tells us that the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom (God tore the curtain not an earthquake). Jesus is the rock that we are anchored to. But the picture goes further……After Jesus rose again and ascended to heaven, our anchor is hooked to Him. We are forever in Christ, body and head, bride and groom. For all of God’s people there is an eternal anchor that stretches, as it were, from Jesus to our souls, it can’t be severed or broken. This is the image the writer wants us to see.
Jesus is described as our “forerunner” (v.20) The term as it is used here is one that describes army scouts who went ahead of the troops. Christ has gone on ahead. And here is what he wants you to under-stand: we will be where Christ is, within the veil; see his message (John 14:2-3) “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (v3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”
Robin’s story: ‘Can you teach me to pray that prayer you taught my mum, Gloria?’
I feel safe now. He was eternally secure, anchored to his rock and Saviour LJC.
There is a hope when the situation is hopeless. That hope is our anchor, steadfast and sure. Held fast to our forerunner Jesus Christ within the veil in the holiest place being true to the promises and the mercy and protection you may need for the storms of life.
Jude 24,25..“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy”
