[Emphasis mine] But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, “You are my servant”; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my RIGHTEOUS RIGHT HAND. All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, “Do not fear; I will help you.” “Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, little Israel, do not fear, for I myself will help you,” declares the Lord, YOUR REDEEMER, the Holy One of Israel.

Have you ever felt “under siege”? I have never really been in a situation like this physically, but I have talked to friends who have been literally “under siege”. Somehow, they mustered up the courage, with God’s help, to make it through the time of siege and get to a time of freedom. Sometimes in our spiritual lives, we feel under siege and we must remember WHOSE WE ARE. Today, in the United States, once a beacon of hope based on the Christian values in our Constitution and laws, we are starting to turn into a nation that celebrates pagan values and evil things as good. We are beginning to feel real spiritual oppression. And we must remind ourselves whose we are. We are children of the
Most High God!

Just like the Israelites in this passage, God sees our plight and he understands; and he stands ready to protect us. Israel was, at this time, in exile and ruled over by the Babylonians. The reference here to them being a worm is a reference to their weak and insignificant state in the world front. They were not a “super power” nation. But God reminds Israel that they are his Chosen People! He picked them —weaknesses, warts, and all! So they are not to fear or be dismayed because he will rescue them with his righteous right hand. They will look for their enemies and will not find them. Those who wage war against them will be as nothing.

And we, as the new chosen people, can claim this promise too! ‭‭I Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭say this: ‬‬“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

Do I believe it? Will I really take this promise and own it and operate from it today? “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭31‬b)

Lord, I am SO VERY GRATEFUL to be called your child and to be listed among your people. I will trust that you are here — right here in my midst — and you are doing battle against those who come against me unjustly. I leave revenge and payback to you. Strengthen me and enable me to be your agent of love and grace to a lost world today!