Strength for the Impossible

Picture this: Down in a valley surrounded by mountains, a battle is raging. Smoke and confusion permeate the air while bullets and canons send forth death in the shape of lead balls. The men in combat are dying left and right. You decide to walk into the heat of the battle. Dressed in long flowing white robes, you slowly move forward as bullets whiz past your head and cannonballs lodge themselves into the earth at your feet; but you remain untouched. As you keep walking, the mountains begin to crumble, causing panic all around you. When you reach the center of the battlefield you stop, looking up to the heavens as the world around you crashes to the ground.

Now you know what I pictured when I read this verse: “For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken,” says the Lord, who has mercy on you. (Isaiah 54:10)

“Even then…” Even when the world seems to be falling apart around us, when life seems to be worthless; even when the mountains move and hills disappear, and as far as I know, that hasn’t really happened! Even then God’s faithful love endures. It will always be there, no matter what.

God will love us even when—especially when—we are afraid, when the future is unsure and when doing the impossible seems…impossible! “For I hold you by your right hand—I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.’” When I find myself scared to take another step into my life, whether big or small, I take this verse quite literally. I picture (you’ll find I like to do so) God, my Father, reaching down to grasp my right hand in his and leading me forward like a father would his child. His gentle words “Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you,” give me encouragement to move forward and take that step with his help.

Strength comes from trusting that God will be there for us whenever we need Him—which, for me, is every second of every day of every year of every decade (you get the point). I have no strength on my own; I have to trust God for every ounce, knowing that because of his great love for me I can face what may seem impossible, and so can you.

 “Don’t be afraid,” he said, “for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!” (Daniel 10:19)