God With Us Puts Courage In Us
DO NOT LET YOUR HEART BE FAINT
It's 6 years after Isaiah's call, a new king is on the throne, and the nations that were signaled in Isaiah 5:26 are knocking on Judah's door in the form of an Israel-Syria alliance (7:1-2). It's a dangerous time to be God's people. But in the midst of this danger, God speaks a word of promise (7:14). In this moment, and in our own moments of "danger," we are faced with the options of responding in fearful compromise or courageous faith in the promises of God (8:11-13). The first option takes us down the road of complaining, complacency, and compromise. The latter leads us forward in confident faith that God will keep us, sustain us, and deliver us from every "danger" that comes our way. Why? Because God himself is with us, and this places courage within us (9:6-7).