Fear is a natural human emotion, often triggered by uncertainties about the future, personal insecurities, or past experiences. The Israelites, for instance, felt fear when they saw themselves as grasshoppers before the giants in the land (Numbers 13:33). However, the Lord has much to say about not fearing!
The reality is that, as frail human beings, we are prone to fear. We live in a big world with all kinds of people and circumstances. Our natural response to potentially harmful situations is often fear, unless we learn to fight it.
Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10
The beauty of the above passage is that not only the Lord commands us not to fear, but He also provides reasons for why we should not fear:
The Lord is our God:
The Lord tells us not be concerned or be in trepidation. Instead, He reminds us of His all powerful and encompassing ability to hold us and to guard us as our God!
The Lord will strengthen us:
I am reminded of a scripture that tells us that the righteous are as bold as a lion (Proverbs 28:1). When we are in the right relationship with God, we can walk in confidence and the strength of the Lord.
The Lord said that He will help us:
Jesus told us that His father was going to send the Holy Spirit to be our helper. Praise God that Emmanuel is continually abiding with us and in us. He will help us and guide us.
The Lord said that He will uphold us:
The Lord will help us not stumble or fall. The Lord’s mighty hand can pull us out of miry pit and put our feet upon the rock. Thank you Lord!
As believers, our response to fear needs to be different. We have a covenant relationship with the God of the universe. He’s the one who called us to Himself—not because we deserved it, but because He loved us. There is nothing we can do to earn salvation or a relationship with our holy Father. This should give us security because it wasn’t our performance that caused God to love or approve of us. There is peace and safety in recognizing this great truth!
Meditate on the above passage and allow the Lord to remind you of who He is in your life!
I will continue with this subject in the next devotional.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay