[The Lord Keeps You Safe Series] God Hears Your CriesSample

The Lord Will Encourage You

For the last few days, we have been reading words of encouragement. These words were given to the prophet Isaiah for the people of Judah, who were held captives in exile in Babylon. We have become familiarized with their situation and seen how much their situation can be compared with those who are going through a difficult time—battling fear, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. We learned that God gave his people the strength they needed in the moment of need. 

In today’s reading, the Lord will give a word of encouragement and deliverance for the people of Judah; he will give them hope regarding their future liberation. Of course, Babylon was such a great empire and awful enemy that even the thought of this seemed unreal. For this reason, God asks them to “listen” (51:1, 4, 7) and “wake up” (51:17). Maybe at this moment you feel that this difficult time will never end, and that your situation is too big for you to handle. 

Please, allow me to ask you to confront your thoughts with the words written by Isaiah. In them, God shows himself strong, as the Lord All-Powerful, the creator of the heavens and earth, and asks a question: “Why are you afraid of mere humans?”(verse 12 CEV) What he is saying is, if I created the heavens, and laid the foundations for the earth, how is it that you so easily forget that I am your Lord and Creator?

The Apostle Paul explained this in his letter to the church of Corinth. In it, he explained that as Christians we fight our battles with God’s power. The battlefield is in our minds, and that is why he says that we need to destroy arguments and every bit of pride that keeps anyone from knowing God. 

What thoughts are stopping you from knowing God more deeply and from understanding that his promises are true? Take captive those thoughts and confront them with what God is telling you about himself in the Bible. Put your trust in God and believe him when he tells you that he will help you and keep you safe in the palm of his hand.  

Remember the words of Jesus, “…If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32 ESV). Allow the truth of God and his promises to reign in your heart and mind. Focus on God and his power; trust him when he tells you that he hears your cries and will keep you safe.