I Will Help Thee

The Come, Follow Me lesson for this week says this: “When the Israelites were captives in Babylon, many may have wondered if they had forever lost their place as God’s chosen, covenant people. As you read Isaiah 40–49, look for passages that might have provided comfort and hope.” One of the themes that I see in these chapters in particular, and which provides both comfort and hope, is that the Lord will give us help. The prophet wrote, “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:29-31). He gives power, He increases and renews strength, and helps us not be weary or faint. The Lord also bore witness in these words, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness…. For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee” (Isaiah 41:10, 13). He promises to be with us and strengthen us and help us. It is hard to read that passage without hearing these words of the hymn How Firm a Foundation:

                                                    Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,

For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.

I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,

Upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous,

Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand. 

That we are upheld by His righteous hand is also emphasized in this passage: “I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house” (Isaiah 42:6-7). He can figuratively hold our hand to help us and give us strength in mortality.

            Other passages from Isaiah in this section similarly testify of the strength and help that He gives us. The prophet wrote, “But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee…. Fear not: for I am with thee” (Isaiah 43:1-2, 5). I love that imagery: whether we have to pass through ocean or river or fire, He will protect us and be with us. Another passage reads this way: “Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses” (Isaiah 44:2-4). He promises to help us, to give drink to the thirsty and water to the ground for food, and to pour His Spirit upon us. The Lord also testified of His help in these words, “Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb: And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you” (Isaiah 46:3-4). I love that promise: He will carry us, bear us, and deliver us, even when we have gray hair and are old. In perhaps one of the most famous passages from Isaiah the Lord also said: “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me” (Isaiah 49:15-16). He will not forget us but will have compassion on us and give us help. Perhaps this statement from the Lord summarizes well all of these passages: “Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 41:14). Isaiah’s words witness over and over that we have a God who will help us and strengthen us.