Life Group family:
Those were comforting words from God to the Israelites, and us, in chapter 43. Words of protection, love, steadfastness, comfort, control, holiness, etc.
Those words were for a group in captivity (Israelites) back then, and are for groups in captivity today such as the 30 million people involved in human trafficking today. 80% of them are female. 50% of them are children. God can deliver them as he delivered the Israelites.
I enjoyed the discussion on the trial imagery that God and Isaiah brought in this chapter. We are His witnesses and must tell others about God. We can do this by the way we live, but that has to be combined with us telling people how God loves us and how we have been changed by living for Him.
We can also do this by how we live and act while being tested by the water and fire (as Isaiah described in verse 2). We should have hope, living for the eternal, and still finding ways to love and help others.
My challenge to you this week is to spend some quiet time and ask God to show you the worries (water/fire) which you need to give away to your sovereign Lord. Then share with your spouse and family.
Be intentional.
Travis