God is with us! – Nov. 3, 2024

Raleigh Mennonite Church

Isaiah 43:1-7, Hebrews 11:32-12:3

In just two days we have a national election. It's something that has many of us anxious and concerned. The two texts for today are both addressed to people in anxious circumstances.

Even with all of the anxiety of the situation in the first passage, the summation of the Isaiah's prophecy to these people is, "Do not be afraid, for I, God, am with you." Some variation on that simple sentence appears more than 300 times in the Bible. So it seems like God realizes this is a problem for us. Do not be afraid, for God is with you.

Knowing that doesn't make passing through the floodwaters or walking through the fire or going through chemotherapy or surviving a divorce or being forced from your country or living under a crazy person's rule actually easy. It's really hard to hang on to in difficult circumstances.

God will still be God on Wednesday. God will ultimately get the final word. Lord, help us to become people who work toward justice and proclaim your beauty until the day every sorrowful story ends in joy. Until the day when you get the final word.