I pick up this thread of telling the background story of the songs on my Survivor CD after another long break. At this time, we have dealt world-wide with the Covid-pandemic, and personally we have dealt with lockdowns, shut-downs, distancing and face masks. I have enjoyed the simpler pace of life but suffer under the restrictions and isolation from many contacts that have supported me in the past. But now, on to the story of Redeemer and Savior and how the song came to be.
At the time of writing this song I was drawn to the poetry of much of the Old Testament. For this song I focused on Isaiah 41 verses 9 to 14. This came after a continual stream of songs in 2004, starting in February, where I discovered the joy and excitement of creating melodies to so many of the verses that meant so much to me. At this point, in October of 2004, I struggled to deal with the subject of fear, even panic attacks that I had experienced throughout my life. I heard it said at church that God helps us overcome our fears, and I wanted to see His help concretely in my life. Believing that trust was the key to accessing God’s help, I wrote this song from the words in Isaiah 41 verses 9 -10 and verse 14:
“You are My servant; I have chosen you and not rejected you. Do not fear, for I am with you.”
“I will help you,” declares the Lord, “and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.”
Although I still very much enjoy singing this song, I have recognized the possibly even delusional personal interpretations I was giving to the Word of God, making the written word of the Bible into my own personal answer to my problems.
I think now that I have indeed struggled with anxiety and panic in my life because of traumatic occurrences in my childhood that have continued to burden me. These forms of anxiety and fear are not the same as what is being addressed in Isaiah 41. It is indeed tempting to seek faith in God as the way out of all that burdens us, but I have had to realize that some of my struggles require an (huge) effort on my part to work on the sources of my inner areas of pain and fear. If I can understand and accept them, I may be reconciled to things I had buried long ago.
Julie DeTroy 