1 00:00:02,730 --> 00:00:12,770 Speaker 1: Life Audio Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture, 2 00:00:13,650 --> 00:00:18,890 Speaker 1: a calming, scripture-centered devotional podcast designed to help you end 3 00:00:19,020 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: each day with God's Word in your mind and on 4 00:00:22,380 --> 00:00:26,900 Speaker 1: your heart. Right after this short word from our sponsors, 5 00:00:27,380 --> 00:00:42,050 Speaker 1: we'll reflect on tonight's scripture. Isaiah chapter 41. Tonight's scripture 6 00:00:42,090 --> 00:00:46,849 Speaker 1: reflection is written by Amber Ginter and read by Leah Gerard. 7 00:00:47,870 --> 00:00:55,340 Speaker 1: Isaiah chapter 41. Be silent before me, you islands. Let 8 00:00:55,380 --> 00:00:59,340 Speaker 1: the nations renew their strength. Let them come forward and speak. 9 00:00:59,860 --> 00:01:03,100 Speaker 1: Let us meet together at the place of judgment. Who 10 00:01:03,140 --> 00:01:05,540 Speaker 1: has stirred up one from the east, calling him in 11 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:09,319 Speaker 1: righteousness to his service? He hands nations over to him 12 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:13,410 Speaker 1: and subdues kings before him. He turns them to dust 13 00:01:13,450 --> 00:01:17,410 Speaker 1: with his sword, to wind-blown chaff with his bow. He 14 00:01:17,470 --> 00:01:21,210 Speaker 1: pursues them and moves on unscathed, by a path his 15 00:01:21,270 --> 00:01:24,839 Speaker 1: feet have not traveled before. Who has done this and 16 00:01:24,900 --> 00:01:30,490 Speaker 1: carried it through, calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, 17 00:01:31,030 --> 00:01:34,770 Speaker 1: the Lord, with the first of them and with the last, 18 00:01:35,530 --> 00:01:39,669 Speaker 1: I am he. The islands have seen it and fear. 19 00:01:40,030 --> 00:01:44,030 Speaker 1: The ends of the earth tremble. They approach and come forward. 20 00:01:44,670 --> 00:01:47,740 Speaker 1: They help each other and say to their companions, be strong. 21 00:01:49,020 --> 00:01:52,380 Speaker 1: The metal worker encourages the goldsmith and the one who 22 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:55,500 Speaker 1: smooths with the hammer spurs on the one who strikes 23 00:01:55,540 --> 00:01:58,860 Speaker 1: the anvil. One says of the welding, it is good. 24 00:01:59,490 --> 00:02:02,510 Speaker 1: The other nails down the idol, so it will not topple. 25 00:02:03,590 --> 00:02:06,980 Speaker 1: But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, 26 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:10,899 Speaker 1: you descendants of Abraham, my friend, I took you from 27 00:02:10,940 --> 00:02:14,000 Speaker 1: the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I 28 00:02:14,060 --> 00:02:16,980 Speaker 1: called you. I said, you are my servant. I have 29 00:02:17,139 --> 00:02:21,530 Speaker 1: chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, 30 00:02:22,010 --> 00:02:25,429 Speaker 1: for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for 31 00:02:25,810 --> 00:02:29,010 Speaker 1: I am your God. I will strengthen you and help 32 00:02:29,070 --> 00:02:32,730 Speaker 1: you I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 33 00:02:33,770 --> 00:02:37,989 Speaker 1: All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced. 34 00:02:38,510 --> 00:02:42,169 Speaker 1: Those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. 35 00:02:43,150 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 1: Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. 36 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:48,980 Speaker 1: Those who wage war against you will be as nothing 37 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 1: at all. For I am the Lord your God, who 38 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:55,820 Speaker 1: takes hold of your right hand and says to you, 39 00:02:56,380 --> 00:03:00,919 Speaker 1: Do not fear. I will help you. Do not be afraid, 40 00:03:00,980 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: you worm, Jacob, little Israel. Do not fear, for I 41 00:03:05,139 --> 00:03:08,470 Speaker 1: myself will help you, declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the 42 00:03:08,540 --> 00:03:12,210 Speaker 1: Holy One of Israel. See, I will make you into 43 00:03:12,270 --> 00:03:15,970 Speaker 1: a threshing sledge, new and sharp. With many teeth you 44 00:03:15,990 --> 00:03:18,590 Speaker 1: will thresh the mountains and crush them and reduce the 45 00:03:18,630 --> 00:03:22,329 Speaker 1: hills to chaff. You will winnow them. The wind will 46 00:03:22,370 --> 00:03:24,669 Speaker 1: pick them up and a gale will blow them away. 47 00:03:25,690 --> 00:03:28,430 Speaker 1: but you will rejoice in the Lord and glory in 48 00:03:28,470 --> 00:03:32,510 Speaker 1: the Holy One of Israel. The poor and needy search 49 00:03:32,550 --> 00:03:35,370 Speaker 1: for water, but there is none. Their tongues are parched 50 00:03:35,570 --> 00:03:40,300 Speaker 1: with thirst, but I, the Lord, will answer them. I, 51 00:03:40,610 --> 00:03:43,390 Speaker 1: the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will 52 00:03:43,430 --> 00:03:47,670 Speaker 1: make rivers flow on barren heights and springs within the valleys. 53 00:03:48,190 --> 00:03:51,190 Speaker 1: I will turn the desert into pools of water and 54 00:03:51,210 --> 00:03:54,570 Speaker 1: the parched ground into springs. I will put in the 55 00:03:54,620 --> 00:03:58,450 Speaker 1: desert the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive. 56 00:03:59,110 --> 00:04:02,330 Speaker 1: I will set junipers in the wasteland, the fir and 57 00:04:02,350 --> 00:04:05,930 Speaker 1: the cypress together, so that people may see and know, 58 00:04:06,490 --> 00:04:11,180 Speaker 1: may consider and understand that the hand of the Lord 59 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has 60 00:04:15,140 --> 00:04:19,580 Speaker 1: created it. Present your case, says the Lord. Set forth 61 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:24,170 Speaker 1: your arguments, says Jacob's king. Tell us, you idols, what's 62 00:04:24,190 --> 00:04:27,130 Speaker 1: going to happen Tell us what the former things were 63 00:04:27,670 --> 00:04:30,190 Speaker 1: so that we may consider them and know their final outcome. 64 00:04:31,210 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 1: Or declare to us the things to come. Tell us 65 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:36,740 Speaker 1: what the future holds so we may know that you 66 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 1: are gods. Do something, whether good or bad, so that 67 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:45,290 Speaker 1: we will be dismayed and filled with fear. But you 68 00:04:45,350 --> 00:04:49,110 Speaker 1: are less than nothing and your works are utterly worthless. 69 00:04:49,470 --> 00:04:54,860 Speaker 1: Whoever chooses you is detestable. I have stirred up one 70 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:58,100 Speaker 1: from the north, and he comes, one from the rising 71 00:04:58,180 --> 00:05:01,580 Speaker 1: sun who calls on my name. He treads on rulers 72 00:05:01,670 --> 00:05:03,670 Speaker 1: as if they were mortar, as if he were a 73 00:05:03,730 --> 00:05:07,730 Speaker 1: potter treading the clay. Who told of this from the beginning, 74 00:05:08,210 --> 00:05:11,650 Speaker 1: so we could know, or beforehand, so we could say, 75 00:05:12,270 --> 00:05:15,690 Speaker 1: he was right? No one told of this, no one 76 00:05:15,790 --> 00:05:20,030 Speaker 1: foretold it, no one heard any words from you. I 77 00:05:20,110 --> 00:05:22,849 Speaker 1: was the first to tell Zion, look, here they are. 78 00:05:23,410 --> 00:05:28,070 Speaker 1: I gave to Jerusalem a messenger of good news. I look, 79 00:05:28,790 --> 00:05:32,150 Speaker 1: but there is no one, no one among the gods 80 00:05:32,410 --> 00:05:35,500 Speaker 1: to give counsel, no one to give answer when I 81 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:41,020 Speaker 1: ask them. See, they are all false. Their deeds amount 82 00:05:41,060 --> 00:05:49,780 Speaker 1: to nothing. Their images are but wind and confusion. It's 83 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:53,730 Speaker 1: easy to say, do not fear. When life is well, 84 00:05:54,330 --> 00:05:57,270 Speaker 1: the bills are paid and the medical results have come 85 00:05:57,310 --> 00:06:01,470 Speaker 1: back negative. But what about when life is chaotic, the 86 00:06:01,510 --> 00:06:05,070 Speaker 1: bills are overdue, and you're sitting in the waiting room 87 00:06:05,130 --> 00:06:10,010 Speaker 1: for what feels like forever? As darkness settles in around 88 00:06:10,150 --> 00:06:14,700 Speaker 1: us and fall gives birth to winter, our fears only 89 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:19,479 Speaker 1: seem to multiply. Maybe you're replaying something that happened yesterday, 90 00:06:19,980 --> 00:06:24,660 Speaker 1: the stress of uncertain things or carrying a burden you've 91 00:06:24,700 --> 00:06:30,460 Speaker 1: told no one about. And yet God says, do not fear, 92 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:34,590 Speaker 1: for I am with you. How do those words make 93 00:06:34,610 --> 00:06:38,730 Speaker 1: you feel? If you're anything like me, I used to 94 00:06:38,790 --> 00:06:42,750 Speaker 1: roll my eyes and ignore the words altogether. This verse 95 00:06:42,790 --> 00:06:50,880 Speaker 1: sounds nice, but feels impractical. Until I realized God isn't 96 00:06:51,020 --> 00:06:55,430 Speaker 1: shaming us for being afraid. He's offering his peace as 97 00:06:55,470 --> 00:06:59,330 Speaker 1: a source of comfort. Before he even told his people 98 00:06:59,380 --> 00:07:02,720 Speaker 1: not to fear, he told them that he would be 99 00:07:02,779 --> 00:07:07,020 Speaker 1: with them. He is our God, and we are his people. 100 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:13,980 Speaker 1: He will strengthen, support, help, and lift us. His command 101 00:07:14,700 --> 00:07:18,420 Speaker 1: not to fear isn't rooted in what happens next, but 102 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:24,830 Speaker 1: rather in his steady and ever-faithful presence. When you think 103 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:29,600 Speaker 1: about your life, what feels uncertain or scary right now? 104 00:07:30,540 --> 00:07:34,940 Speaker 1: What would change tonight if you believed you didn't have 105 00:07:34,980 --> 00:07:39,300 Speaker 1: to face these fears alone? What if instead of relying 106 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:43,240 Speaker 1: on your own strength, you asked God to carry you 107 00:07:43,700 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 1: with His? Isaiah 41 doesn't say that we won't face 108 00:07:49,500 --> 00:07:53,770 Speaker 1: scary things this side of heaven. But God's word does 109 00:07:53,850 --> 00:07:56,750 Speaker 1: promise that he will be with us no matter what 110 00:07:56,790 --> 00:08:01,970 Speaker 1: we face. His progression from I am with you to 111 00:08:02,470 --> 00:08:05,429 Speaker 1: I am your God and I will strengthen you shows 112 00:08:05,510 --> 00:08:09,230 Speaker 1: us that sometimes the answer to our fear isn't watching 113 00:08:09,270 --> 00:08:15,340 Speaker 1: it dissipate. It's not an explanation or being brave. It's 114 00:08:16,140 --> 00:08:22,100 Speaker 1: reassurance that even in uncertainty, God is there too. The 115 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 1: good news is that you and I don't have to 116 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:30,670 Speaker 1: manufacture enough courage tonight. It's okay to be scared. But 117 00:08:30,700 --> 00:08:34,190 Speaker 1: we can rest in the one who promises to hold us, 118 00:08:34,929 --> 00:08:40,090 Speaker 1: even when we can't hold ourselves. Do not fear isn't 119 00:08:40,370 --> 00:08:45,439 Speaker 1: a demanding, how dare you be scared accusation. Do not 120 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:53,010 Speaker 1: fear is an invitation. Let's face this together. As you 121 00:08:53,050 --> 00:08:57,010 Speaker 1: prepare for rest, ask yourself, what fear do I need 122 00:08:57,030 --> 00:09:00,380 Speaker 1: to ask the Lord to help me with? Talk to 123 00:09:00,410 --> 00:09:04,600 Speaker 1: God about these fears. They may not be removed overnight, 124 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:14,060 Speaker 1: but His presence is always with you. Dear Jesus, tonight 125 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:17,469 Speaker 1: I want to acknowledge my fears instead of ignoring them. 126 00:09:19,070 --> 00:09:22,500 Speaker 1: I bring you And here you can fill in whatever 127 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:26,140 Speaker 1: you need to bring to God. Thank you for your 128 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: promise of peace, even when it feels far. Please give 129 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:34,870 Speaker 1: me strength for what I can't change and comfort me 130 00:09:35,010 --> 00:09:41,310 Speaker 1: even here. I love, praise, and thank you, Jesus. Amen. 131 00:09:43,850 --> 00:09:47,490 Speaker 1: How did tonight's scripture speak to you? Share your thoughts 132 00:09:47,670 --> 00:09:50,990 Speaker 1: in the Your Nightly Scripture Forum discussion. 133 00:09:59,270 --> 00:10:03,880 Speaker 2: Thank you. for listening to Your Nightly Scripture. Tonight's scripture 134 00:10:04,300 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 2: was read from the New International Version by Biblica. All 135 00:10:09,179 --> 00:10:15,060 Speaker 2: rights reserved. Be sure to follow our sister show, Your 136 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:20,380 Speaker 2: Daily Bible Verse, on Apple or Spotify. by following your 137 00:10:20,460 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 2: daily Bible verse and your nightly scripture, you can be 138 00:10:24,860 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 2: sure that your day begins and ends centered on the 139 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 2: Word of God.