Fear Not

While I've taken to writing most of my devotional musings in hard cover journals and don't post here as often as I used to, sometimes I just feel compelled to post about something.  Today, it's about several verses in Isaiah chapter 41.

Yesterday when I read this chapter, I was really taken by God's many and amazing promises to us.  There are some great ones, and I encourage you to look them up for yourself.  

It seldom happens that I'm taken back to the same passage the next day, but when I am, I try to pay attention!  It happened again today.

This morning, as I re-read the chapter, what really grabbed my attention was a repeating theme that I had somehow missed yesterday.  I've learned that when something is repeated, it's usually important, so I particularly noted it this morning.  I believe this message is an important one for my life, but also for all of us as we deal with this pandemic and the other challenges we face in our daily lives.

Here's what I read (from the New American Standard Bible):

"Do not fear for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. . . . For I am the Lord your God who upholds your right hand, who says to you 'Do not fear, I will help you'. Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel; I will help you' declares the Lord, 'and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.'" Isaiah 41:10-14

Note how often, in those few verses, we are told not to fear and that God will help us!  It's a lovely repeated promise - and also a repeated instruction.  "Do not fear."  I immediately think of the words in 1John 4:18 "perfect love casts out fear".

Father, thank you for your promises and your instructions.  Please so fill me with your perfect love that there is NO room for fear in my life!  Thank you for your continued reassurances, and for letting me feel your presence in my life today!  I am so grateful for your love!  I love you, Father.