Daily Devotions
God, the Deliverer
Title: God, the Deliverer
Guest author: Alexander Newman
Reading for July 26: Isaiah 41-43
Isaiah 41.13 “For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”
One of the biggest struggles that Israel had throughout their history was constantly turning back to idols. There could be a multitude of reasons – for instance the first generation out of Egypt pretty much only knew of pagan gods. For other generations, a lot of other gods were used by the nations around them, so perhaps they simply wanted to be like everyone else. Israel could’ve made every excuse to continue worshipping these gods.
God in these chapters rebukes them for their use of idols. Their idols couldn’t save them from devastation. Their idols didn’t cause the Earth to quake or bring life from death. Their idols wouldn’t send a deliverer to save them from their sins. Their idols were blind, deaf and useless. The only true God was the one who loved them, who sacrificed for them, who brought them out of Egypt in to victory and fulfilled the promises he’d made to Abraham. Why did they continue to forsake Him?
We feel somewhat morally superior to Israel because we aren’t bowing down to wooden men or golden bulls, but the reality is we get really caught up in idolatry to this day. When we turn to any sort of worldliness to save us from pain when God has assured us that he will save us from it. Whatever pain you’re facing, trust God. He’s the one who’s seeking to deliver you – everything else is merely a façade.
Isaiah 43.2: “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.”
Father, unite our hearts to fear Your name. Destroy every idol in our heart!
