Isaiah 41:9-10
I pulled you in from all over the world,
called you in from every dark corner of the earth,
Telling you, ‘You’re my servant, serving on my side.
I’ve picked you. I haven’t dropped you.’
Don’t panic. I’m with you.
There’s no need to fear for I’m your God.
I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you.
I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Timothy has been learning how to deal with frustration. Sometimes he will stack up his blocks in a “tower” that is not structurally sound. He puts little blocks near the bottom and bigger, heavier ones near the top. When this configuration collapses and falls to the floor, Timmy also falls apart. So we have been trying to teach him to remain calm, to recognize that all is not lost… we are here to help him, and we will show him how to build a better, more sound configuration.
I have to tell you, I am often not far behind my three-year-old nephew in the “Frustration Department!” We all have challenges and “towers” in life that are not structurally sound. And when they crash and burn… so do we, much of the time. I really need this passage to remind me that there is no need for panic or fear. God is with me, holding me steady and keeping a firm grip on me. If I will calm down and trust Him, God will give me strength and show me how to build a firmer foundation and find better solutions to whatever challenges I face. And He will do the same for you!
We all have frustrations. But we also have a “cure for what ails us” – a Heavenly Father who is right beside us. God picked us… He has not dropped us and will never fail to meet our needs or answer our calls. All we have to do is take the first step… to move closer and ask Him to help.
When a wobbly structure falls, we’ve tried to teach Timmy to say, “Oops!” and start over… to realize that all is not lost. It’s much the same with God and the “wobbly structures” in our own lives. We need to learn to say, “Uh-oh, God… I’m in trouble here… can you help?”... then trust Him to do exactly that. Where can you apply this to your own life? What “towers” have crashed and need fixing? Are you ready to call out to God and feel His grip tighten? Isn’t it time to say “Oops?”
©2012 Debbie Robus
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