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Isaiah 43:1-7 (ESV)
Israel’s Only Savior
43 But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. 4 Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. 5 Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. 6 I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, 7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
This passage was used yesterday in the sermon, but we use it again today to start our week because it illustrates something God does throughout the Bible: make promises. This week we will go a bit deeper into the context surrounding the promises of Isaiah 43, but today, read this passage and find as many promises as possible. An easy way to do this is to see where God is the subject of the sentence (Is this 3rd grade English class?!). Where is God active and doing something? Verse 1 says, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you.” That is something God has done, therefore we do not need to fear. It is a promise in which we can trust. Though it might seem God is far away, don’t fear! He is right here with you. He said so! What other promises do you see and how might they apply to your life now?