The Promise (2)
“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 uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 NASB
With you– It’s important to know that God has not given up on us. “I am with you,” He says. We probably concentrate on the pronoun. After all, this is God promising to stick with us. But I think the preposition just might be the most important word in this phrase. Actually, the Hebrew is one combined word: “with-you-am-I” ‘im-meka-a’ni. Unlike English, in Hebrew you can’t pull apart “God” and “with.” If He is God, then He is the immanent God of creation. He is with all He makes, including us. In English it is possible to think of God and the rest of His creation, but this isn’t what happens in Hebrew. In Hebrew, the creation is an extension of the very character of God. He saturates it. That doesn’t mean, as the pantheist would conclude, that creation isGod. It just means that everywhere there is creation, God is.
It’s also worth noting that the expression is not “I, God, am with you.” God addressourconcern first: “with you I am.” What matters to Him, and to us, is what happens first to us. So God puts us first in His inclusive phrase. Amazing!
Fear is the result of experienced separation. Fear is being alone, apart, different, unaccompanied, lonesome, companionless, unaided, forsaken, and unloved. But if God is manifest in everything created, then fear is (really) a myth, a mistake, a misapprehension. Fear is a lie about the immanence of God. God is inherent in His handiwork. There is no part of anything that does not reflect His being. And so my fear of all those synonyms of loneliness are lies. I understand that they are lies. I see the logic of it all. But lies are powerful. And far too often I succumb to their deceptive reality. That might be why in Hebrew it is not possible to pull God apart from “with.” Ah, and even more importantly, it isn’t possible to pull “God” out of “with you.” God is squished all around me.
Of course, that might be disconcerting, even threatening. If I think of God as the omniscient moral policeman, and I know that I am not morally pure, then the fact that God is squeezed all around me might be very scary. We looked at David’s struggle with this aspect of omnipresence when we examined Psalm 139 (see Today’s Word, January 1 to January 31, 2019). But Isaiah isn’t worried about moral impurity. God doesn’t speak through Isaiah about the sin of the people. God speaks comfort. “You’ve had enough. You’ve paid for your sins twice over. You’ve been crushed by guilt and remorse. But now know this. I am with you.” Isaiah proclaimed these words to God’s people more than two thousand five hundred years ago.
But for me, it might as well have been yesterday.
Topical Index: promise, fear, with you, ‘im-meka-a’ni, Isaiah 41:10
It is utterly astounding (to me, anyway) in this creation (which seems to be designed from top to bottom as a mere prop for free will) that the THINGS of creation are a derivative (‘created’ from?) the CHOICES made in that creation. Further, we come to information with full-blown paradigms – rose-colored glasses (belief systems) – with which to filter it all. Every bit of it. Reason, unfortunately, exists below that filter. (Science admits this.) We pride ourselves on being able to discern ‘truth’ (with our vaunted reason) but those glasses prevent us from even seeing what we already don’t want to see.
Either God’s choices or the choices of His sentient creation determine the function (good or evil) that expresses the forms – things – of reality. All the matter and circumstances around us, then, are either going to be God’s idea (where it is not being opposed, that is) or someone else’s opposing idea.
In this universe, it seems, facts follow what we are ALREADY putting our faith in, as form follows – is powered by – the function that choice allows. Who’s choice? Well, the Creator seems to have crowded the choice field already (with that creation), but He graciously scoots over and shares that space with us: further, He made it where we HAVE to choose – have to check ‘agree’ (line up our wills) or ‘disagree’ with – the goodness He is already putting (willing, or, choosing) there. Evil, then, is a negation – a ‘disagree’ – of God’s goodness as righteousness is an ‘agree’ – an alignment – with that goodness. I think which one we choose to check at any given time is a function of which pair of glasses we are choosing to view reality through in that place at that time. Faith in God literally ‘allows’ us to see the goodness that faith requires us to agree with – to line up our wills with, as the glasses of fear/faith in things not of God ‘allows’ (well, limits in actuality) us to only ‘see’ what that fear ‘wants’ us to see.
I think fear is a negation of God’s goodness THAT IS ALREADY PRESENT (being willed) in creation. When we agree to see reality the way fear (which is a choice as to which ‘power’ over reality we are aligning with) sees it, we make choices that align with what we are seeing: we think they are the ‘only’ choices, in fact. Fear erases our ability to see the goodness (will) of God we are supposed to be agreeing with, but, of course, it cannot actually erase that goodness (at least until after the fact of God’s faith in reality). Fear can appear to represent reality – the truth – to us, but, because of God’s goodness that is ALREADY THERE, it has to lie. When we believe the lies of fear, we then make choices that affirm – that literally allow into creation – the evil (which is a simple negation of goodness) that fear also asserts is ALREADY THERE. All evil people are slap full of fear/worship, for fear is a form of faith in the gods of (really OVER) our choice. One way or another, we are going to worship (line up our wills with) what we put our faith (or fear) in. One way or another, we serve somebody (thanks, Dylan).
This is why I think fear functions as faith in the future: a ‘faith’ – an alternative to faith in the goodness of God – that expresses itself in reality through us as the evil we are already believing exists. Our choice to agree with (worship) that belief ‘allows’ it to exist (negate God’s goodness in that place). What we fear, then, really does come upon us! Jeremiah calls this “the fruit of our thoughts”. If our thoughts do not align with the will (goodness) of God in faith, eventually (according to Jeremiah) He is going to agree with our will and allow the evil we are choosing to “reign over us”. Frightful thought! Or should be!
If we could just grasp the depth of what you are speaking of, our world and our witness to the world would most likely, drastically change. In Genesis we read that man is to rule over the fish of the waters,…etc. but it actually reads that we rule IN the fish, IN the birds, IN the whole of the earth. It’s the “inward” functioning that determines the outward manifesting, as The Messiah said, it’s the thoughts of the heart that make a man clean or unclean and we certainly are given the ability to impose those “attitudes” into the people and issues we encounter daily. Going back to that, “overcome evil with good” thingy. 🙂
Robert, you are so right. Both faith and fear are spiritually infectious. Reality bends around certain people: you can see their forcefield of influence. Evil retreats and righteousness flourishes under their green branches. Plants grow better for these folks: animals act differently, too, and children may be the best barometers of all. They always seem to be able to tell who really loves them (or not). May we set our hearts to learn anew what the plants and animals are still obedient to and the children haven’t forgotten yet!
I was raised in a home where siblings tried to top each other in who could scare the younger children the most. They were very good at it. I bathed in cortisol each night. My life was literally in danger from someone who tried to kill me more than once. I’ve struggled with fear my whole life. By this reality, I am evil and I am surrounded be evil people. Yet, I can’t deny that the things I fear the most keep happening to me. I still have nightmares that are frightening. I spend so much time in the Word and in prayer to obtain and maintain trust in YHVH. What you have shared here is so very difficult to face. I wish I had not been exposed to so much evil. I really do long to walk in love. I am surrounded by people who choose to focus on evil rather than the goodness of God. It’s so hard to overcome my own temptation to fear and also to resist the encouragement to fear from others. I long for my thoughts to be aligned with His thoughts.
Theresa, I lived with those fearful people, who had a whole lot of ‘power’ to scare me, too. Alanon taught that I was giving that power TO THEM. Power I was supposed to keep. New thought! Why was I giving power over me away to others (through fear of them)? Because I thought I had to do that for them to love me: worse, that I had to do that if I loved them! I was taught that this was love. I believed that it was. But it was just codependence.
It was very scary to change this belief. I had to face their accusations that I did not love them: worse, I had to face my own fear that I did not love them. I had to face that I did not know what love was. I had to allow the possibility that my feelings and beliefs were ‘wrong’ (pride issue driving shame). When I decided to admit the possibility that others and myself might be wrong about love (true humility) I was free of shame, too. This was amazing! I was encouraged!
Alanon showed me what I was blind to: wrong beliefs and behaviors that reinforced those beliefs. It was a good education. In the process, I gradually got enough truth in me to begin to let go the false beliefs that powered the behaviors that gave away power over me to others. Halleluah! How great is it to be wrong? Let me count the ways!
I also had to face it that I don’t know what love is. Guilty of codependence! Working on that one. I believe that God is good for other people. Yet, I still have a hard time believing I will experience His goodness in my own life. I struggle with the verse that says, “In faithfulness You have afflicted me. I still have trust issues. Thanks for your response. I have plenty of wrong beliefs and behaviors to let go of. You make the target to shoot at much clearer.
“Plenty of wrong beliefs to let go of”. Your not alone here, we all struggle with these things, if you’ll allow me to add to what others have encouraged you with. Fear and anger are kissin’ Cousins, if you will. As we learn to guard our thoughts, we find this most critical in our development of being confirmed. It’s impossible to “just throw out” anger as you have to replace it with something. (Otherwise we aren’t “whole”) learning to see others in compassion is key to overcoming anger. Those “other” people are trapped also, and most probably have no avenue of escape. What they once found amusing is now ruling them and that by their own permission. How tormenting is that? I’m not offering a one time quick fix for your problems, only encouraging you to walk in the way of righteousness for your and their healing. It may not change them, but the practice of it will change you. I’ve found that if you give someone a finish hammer to knock down a stone wall with, they’ll usually find something more productive to do. Just sayin’ ? meanwhile, I (and most probably a number of others) will be praying with you. We’ve been blessed with a way out, those without God have none, you may not be able to lead them out, but we can point to the road signs. YHWH bless you and keep you…..
Thank you Robert. You have spoken truth. I truly do want to walk in the way of righteousness. I know that involves embracing Yeshua’s righteous sacrifice and following the Ancient Path to the Father. I agree that is the best way to help them as well.It’s a huge paradigm shift for someone as committed to Christianity as I was. I do appreciate your prayers very much.
Oh Skip and Laurita… you blow my mind every morning! Thank you for your insights and the time you spend seeking Him and expressing your thoughts for others to ponder.
Isaiah 41:10 is one of my favorite verses. I can’t begin to tell you how thankful I am for your insights on this verse
As I add to today’s comments, I do not mean to be first, or the latest but better than the rest. Just a comment waiting for comments of relational thinking. As I have melded and welded this type of Paradigm studying, man was meant to be with God, inseparable, God breathed his very life into man. How we have strayed and taught others to stray from that fact. The Hebrew writers the prophets in the others in that category all told us this. Too much New Testament theology, has pulled us away and brainwashed us even the latest singing crazes the hip churches, bringing people in all by the word of faith. Why is God telling me all this. It is because he wants me to relate to him, in all these distractions of similarity come flooding in. I’m not up to speed with the rest of you. But I am not to compare, just be encouraged. I’ve been praying for my precious wife to come alongside and understand the previous covenants prior to the cross, and all the truth and relationships God has meant for us to understand and grab hold of. The. God of Abraham Isaac Isaac who became Jacob, the sons of Jacob. And these kinds of things. There was one family that stood out.. now starting a home Church with them. With the others taking the lead now it’s all cutting away from even Old Testament reading 2 extra biblical readings. Like Tobit , explosive books yes talking about the end times and Talking to Angels and how to live for righteousness, and focus on the Lord Our God only. But why are they not in Canon scripture, let’s keep to what we have. God and man and that relationship as written in popular scriptures. It’s hard enough to share the wealth of what’s already written. Now adding extra stuff. Bah humbug. I’m learning so much from this group it’s hard enough to share this way of life. Then to share something that’s from books that are outside of our Realm
“One is the loneliest number that you’ll
ever do.” THREE DOG NIGHT
“that all of them may be one, Father, just as
you are in me and I am in you.”
YESHUA
You did it, Rich! You defined the difference for me between the world’s meaning of the word “one” and God’s meaning. They are opposites. Thank you!
He who defines the terms, wins. Are we going to go with the definition of the world, that asserts we will only be happy when it is ‘just’ me, myself and I (calling the shots, of course), or are we traveling with Yeshua, who put Himself beneath all (made Himself subject to how they called the shots) so as to be able to win them all?
“One in Christ” (perfectness of the completion of the whole lot together) is a world apart from the concept of the “one” (perfectness of the isolation FROM the whole lot through separation) of humanism. In my dictionary, anyway.
Such a word I needed today. The last couple of months has been one of turmoil and chaos…such trust issues. Losing my husband in December after losing my youngest the previous year … well, sent me pretty much into a tailspin of despair. I repeat all the well known phrases, I hear all the good words and encouragement…but somehow they don’t go past my ears! I walk thru an empty house praying that it will sell and yet not having anything definite in mind of where to go if it does. I have been trying to cling to the Yah of my ancestors…and yet He seems illusive as well. But Skip’s word for today … and the comments … have gone past my ears and down into my soul. WITH ME ….. HE IS!!!!
I will carry this phrase with me IN MY HEART as I walk thru the empty house, as I figure out what bills need to be paid, as I scramble for meaning in my life …. WITH ME … HE IS!!!!
thank you dear family for your continued prayers and support! May we ALL be one, Father, just as
you are in me and I am in you.
Many blessings dear ones. ~ Pamela