Fear Not Thou Worm

Weary from several days of dealing with many trials, I opened this devotion tonight-and the Spirit of God pierced my heart with it's message; because it spoke directly to my condition, and yes, I shook my head in agreement, I felt just like that worm described in those verses. And failures, Oh yes, I've known failures; of many kinds. But, when I want to turn and walk away, or lay down and not get up again- I feel the Hand of God, moving me on. I get back up, and start again.

Why, because God is greater than any problem, or enemy I may face. In comparison to The Creator of this universe-I am a worm. Whatever I may be facing-God is greater, and He can handle it. What I have to do is remember how He's seen me through every problem and trial in the years behind me, and know He hasn't changed-and He has the power to help me get the victory in whatever I'm facing today, just like He did then. The Holy Spirit drove this home to me, and healed my spirit, and restored my soul. May it do so for those who read this, as well.

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. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. 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. Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff. Isa 41:10-15

Could any two things be in greater contrast than a worm and an instrument with teeth? The worm is delicate, bruised by a stone, crushed beneath the passing wheel; an instrument with teeth can break and not be broken; it can grave its mark upon the rock. And the mighty God can convert the one into the other. He can take a man or a nation, who has all the impotence of the worm, and by the invigoration of His own Spirit, He can endow with strength by which a noble mark is left upon the history of the time.
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And so the "worm" may take heart. The mighty God can make us stronger than our circumstances. He can bend them all to our good. In God’s strength we can make them all pay tribute to our souls. We can even take hold of a black disappointment, break it open, and extract some jewel of grace. When God gives us wills like iron, we can drive through difficulties as the iron share cuts through the toughest soil. "I will make thee," and shall He not do it? -- Dr. Jowett

Christ is building His kingdom with earth’s broken things. Men want only the strong, the successful, the victorious, the unbroken, in building their kingdoms; but God is the God of the unsuccessful, of those who have failed. Heaven is filling with earth’s broken lives, and there is no bruised reed that Christ cannot take and restore to glorious blessedness and beauty. He can take the life crushed by pain or sorrow and make it into a harp whose music shall be all praise. He can lift earth’s saddest failure up to heaven’s glory. -- J. R. Miller  (Streams in the Desert)

​"Follow Me, and I will make you"
Make you speak My words with power,
Make you channels of My mercy,
Make you helpful every hour.

"Follow Me, and I will make you"
Make you what you cannot be
Make you loving, trustful, godly,
Make you even like to Me.
-- L. S. P.