Twenty-first Mountain Peak
"Even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you." Isaiah 46:4
HERE IS ANOTHER mountain peak of salvation by which our Lord is assuring us very strongly, through the prophet Isaiah, that throughout our life-time He will carry us through. We as human beings are full of fears. Even (hough we have enjoyed God's goodness in abundance for many years, and have seen Him working on our behalf mightily on many occasions, and have seen answers to our prayers, yet we find we are full of fears and keep saying: "What about this, and what about that?" "What about tomorrow, or next month, or next year?" Our minds are full of fear and anxiety and we are always worrying about the future, about our health, about our old age, about our children or something even less important. When you have no children, you long to have children, and when you have children you begin to worry, how to feed them, clothe them, educate them; how to get them married; and if the children are rebellious, how to face this problem, correct them, rebuke them. Every human being has some worry of some kind or other. But one verse is sufficient to take away worry and anxiety of every kind. They are not the words of men, but the words of the living and loving God saying to us who have become His heavenly possession: "Even to old age I will carry you." When He saves us, he undertakes for our full responsibilities, for the whole span of life, whether it is 70, 90, 200 or 500 years. God is not limited by age, so He says to you. "Even to your hoar hairs, I will carry you through." In other words "I am responsible till you die. Don't worry whatever your need may be, spiritual, physical or material, and don't think I will care for only a few of your needs, but rather for all your needs and burdens."
When we are very very old, we require somebody to lift us up, for when we lie down, we cannot get up again. Some old people are very heavy and need four or five people to lift them up. They say pathetically: "Please come and lift me." But the Lord Jesus says: "I will help you for I have made you. you are my own possession and my property, so I undertake to bear the burden of you and your whole responsibility." As mothers gladly carry their children, so even the Lord Jesus Christ will carry you safely. When men carry us they hurt OUT limbs and bones because they don't know how to carry us. They handle us roughly, though perhaps 'hey do so with-good intentions, and we are thus very uncomfortable, but the Lord says: "J will carry you, I will make you as comfortable as possible, and deliver you from every trial of every kind".
He assures us in Job 5: 19-26 that He will undertake for us. He says He will deliver us from seven troubles. v. 19. The number 7 in scripture stands for completion, which means that whatever our troubles or trials or sufferings or afflictions may be He will deliver us. He will deliver us from hardships and sufferings, v. 19 and 20. In war and famine He will supply our need. When the Lord's people thank God for their food, they find that even the poorest kind of food becomes tasty. When the Lord Jesus Christ fed the multitude. He did not feed them with rich food. Hindus tell us that the Lord fed them with biryani, but our Lord Jesus Christ used barley loaves. This is the poor mart's food. In extreme scarcity and famine people use barley, otherwise they use wheat, rice and other grains. I have eaten all kinds of bread but barley-bread. I have never seen barley bread, and I have heard it is not tasty. The Lord Jesus Christ chose barley bread and multiplied it and when He blessed it, it became so tasty. In conditions of extreme famine, when many are starving for lack of food, we know that whatever the Lord gives us at that time. He will bless it and make it more tasty. We have found this true by experience. Sometimes we have gone to some homes and food has been set be fore us, and the very sight of it was repulsive. The stomach would say: "Don't touch it. Don't touch it." But the Lord would say: "Pray and eat it!" Sure enough, when we have said: "Lord bless the food," it has become very tasty. That is God's promise, and it has been our experience. In the same way, people have been protected from bombs in the lime of war. Job 3:21. is our daily experience. "The scourge of the tongue" comes from friends and relations, neighbours and others. When men get angry, they use very hurtful words. Husbands quarrel with their wives, and wives with their husbands, and their words are like weapons a! such times. But the Lord promises to protect us from the scourge of the tongue of relations and friends and neighbours, when they use cruel words to hurt our feelings. It is hard to forget when someone hurts us with angry words, but the Lord uses the Balm of Gilead to heal these wounds. He has undertaken to deliver us from all such dangers.
v. 22 Men can behave like bulls and lions (Acts 20:29). They will come upon you as wolves because of strife, in order to rob you of your joy and happiness. But the Lord promises to protect us from beasts and from all lions (1 Peter 5:8). The enemy can use someone who is like a beast, but if we really keep our trust in the Lord and are hot anxious or afraid, the Lord Himself protects us from all these. However if we lose our sleep and start worrying we will not be protected. Let us say by faith: "Lord, I claim Isa. 46:4", and refuse to worry about old age, a pension, or a good house for children or grand-children. Some start worrying and begin to try to save money. They walk long distances to save five naye paise. They forgo their breakfast to save money. If they have no money in the bank, they somehow manage to go on educating their children, as a provision against old age. But soon after their education is finished those children get married and no longer care for you. Some depend upon insurance policy and provident funds. But the best assurance is Isa. 46.4. Here we have a perfect assurance for every need and situation of every kind throughout our life-time. But we have got to have faith. It is not Just by repeating these words, that we will have this experience. It is only by faith. Let us say from our hearts: "Lord, I believe these words are for me. I do not want to trust in money or friends or children. I want to depend upon you alone, I fully believe you will not forsake me. Lord. I cast all my burden upon you". Then, without our knowledge. He will make every provision for our need. This is a wonderful mountain peak of salvation.