It refers us to Abraham’s victory over the four kings.

The first part of the Haftorah is really encouraging. It starts with a complaint Hashem has heard from his people (and I include myself in this complaint);

“My way of serving God has been hidden from and ignored by God, and my judgement passes I rewarded from my

God.”

How many of us have lodged this complaint? Guilty.

But the response is kind and compassionate; full of hope;

“don’t you know from your own mind, even if you have not heard from your teachers, that God is an everlasting God, the Creator of the entire world from end to end? He does not become tired or weary and fluctuate in His performance.”

Whoa. That last part hits me. I think I often project my own “fluctuation in my performance” onto Hashem. Without a doubt. Hashem does not fluctuate. But I do. And I think I sometimes believe he must because I do. Hashem does NOT fluctuate in his performance.

Isaiah continues; “So your reward will definitely come, but there is no comprehension of His wisdom as to why He delays it.”

This morning I was in a “battle” with my youngest daughter Aviyah about breakfast. We have a tradition on Shabbat to do “special” cereal (we normally don’t do sugar cereal but to make Shabbat something the girls look forward to, we allow them one day to enjoy the sugar cereal). We wait for the four youngest girls to wake up before serving it though, because we want to also teach patience.

This morning three of the girls woke up relatively early. But Aviyah wasn’t having it. I kept trying to explain what was happening, but her brain couldn’t comprehend it.

I made her a deal and said if her sister wasn’t awake when I was finished Davening, I would get the cereal out anyway. She walked away but was still being impatient. Mind you she wasn’t hungry because she already had a bagel with cream cheese, and a banana.

While Davening, right as I was about to finish (I just had two prayers left) she went into her sisters room and woke her up. So I stopped Davening and explained to her the consequence would be that I would set a timer and she’d have to wait for cereal while everyone else got to eat it as soon as I was finished Davening.

She wasnt having it. We had some good discussion on the difference between hunger and craving; but she delayed me finishing Davening by an extra 20 minutes. I kept explaining to her that she was working against her best self interests. We worked through it, she calmed herself, and i was able to finish Davening. She accepted the reality, let me set the timer, and when the timer went off she got the biggest smile.

It’s a good lesson here. We want that cereal- but we don’t want to wait. But the reward is coming, and Hashem is trustworthy- more so that we are. He doesn’t fluctuate. We do.

I really encourage you to read the rest of the Haftorah because it is a lot of encouragement. Towards the end, Isaiah writes this;

“But you, Israel, are not like them (the nations who worship idols) because you are My servants! Children of Jacob! I chose you to be My people because you are the descendants of Abraham, who loved Me and separated from idol-worship. In the future I will grasp you from the corners of the earth and call to release you from the control of its powerful people. I told you, “You are My servant,” from the time that I have chosen you, and I have not despised you.

Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not turn away thinking I have abandoned you, because I am your God, as I have always been. I strengthened you with positive words of comfort, I helped you from the very beginning.”

Wow. Just wow.

Today- where are you needing Hashem’s word of comfort? Where are you needing a reminder that Hashem does not fluctuate in His performance?

The Haftorah closes with this; “For I am God, your God, who takes hold of your right hand, and says to you; ‘Don’t fear, I will help you,’ so you can rely on My word.”

There is a visual there that I think we need to remember. When Aviyah is struggling, and i reach out to hold her hand (if I’m taking her right hand, I’ll use my left hand) there is a visual there that brings a lot of comfort. The left hand of Hashem takes hold of our right hand and says “do not fear. I will help you.” Do you believe this? Or not? That is one last important question to ask (and answer) for ourselves.