July 13th - No Fear

No Fear

(Isaiah 41:11-29; 42:1-25; 43:1-7)

In the Rice Fields

By Angelo Morbelli

1901

What do you fear?

What stirs your soul to a point of unrest? What doubts disturb your personal peace?

We may easily fear for the personal safety, health, financial security and other issues – for ourselves and for those we love.

At times, I have found myself worrying about all sorts of things. A looming medical diagnosis, angry words or even an upcoming deadline may elicit fear in me. However, when God grants me the presence of mind to take these concerns to Him in prayer, I do find that He consistently answers.

The Lord delights in replacing fear with faith, if we will simply look to Him.

Is fear sinful?

Do we betray our own lack of faith in our all-powerful God when we are afraid? Do fears become faults after a certain period of time has elapsed? How long does it take for fright to turn to faithlessness?

Perhaps it is our response to fear that counts most. Do our fears drive us to doubt, or do they bring us to our knees before the One who is able to cast them out entirely?

The Old Testament prophet Isaiah spoke about fear. Isaiah also pointed God’s people to the Almighty One, who does all things well. Throughout human history, Jehovah has demonstrated His unfathomable love for His own.

“When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.

For I am the Lord, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

(Isaiah 43:2-3a, NIV)

God cannot fail us, for He cannot fail. He simply is God.

Here’s a poem the Lord gave me this morning, based on today’s readings in the prophetic book of Isaiah. I pray God will use these words to grant Holy Spirit boldness to all who love Him.

Setting Fears a-Flight –

Rhymed Premieres for Open Ears

What causes trembling in our hearts?

A monster? Ogre? Blackest arts?

Do worries underlie our trust,

As we are into danger thrust?

We play the numbers as a game,

Distracting us from doubt and shame.

The dark descends with coldest cloak,

Revealing our assumption’s joke.

Which one of us may delegate

To call for food upon the plate?

What holy healer may we call

To cast infirmities from all?

Like rotten roach in dung of beige,

We grin as if to guilt assuage.

Unseeing yet a simple shoe

May soon descend – and poof! We’re through.

How, in the mirror, do we spy

An owl, sagely standing by?

With feigning prism, we pretend

A higher level to ascend.

What retribution must we make

To gain the plan and fear forsake?

For fragile still we be, though fair,

Outstanding, lovely, debonair.

A million dollars could not save

An earnest soul from grievous grave.

But inner voice may from the pile

Soon summon us to stand awhile.

For only in the hands of God

May we escape this fearsome sod.

No other may His pow’r impeach

Nor any of His glory reach.

He need not bellow, yell or roar.

A single word alerts His corps.

“Fear not,” He calls, “for you are Mine.”

We need just answer, “We are Thine.”

c2009 by Linda Ann Nickerson

All rights reserved.

Will you pray with me?

Elohim,

The Everlasting One,

Teach us to trust You

With our lives,

With our hearts

And with all we are.

For we are Thine.

Amen.

Responding to these prompts:

Blog Your Blessings Sunday (“food on the plate”)

Catchwords- Wordbeads (“roach,” “delegate,” “beige,” “retribution” and “grin”)

Easy Street Prompts (“the healer”)

Heads or Tails (“pile”)

Inspire Me Thursday (“owl”)

Meme Express (Sunday invitation to Simply Snickers)

One Single Impression (“inner voice”)

Simply Snickers (“fair,” “field” and “fragile”)

Sunday Scribblings (“the plan”)

Theme Thursday (“shoe”)

Then Sings My Soul Saturdays (“in the hands of God”)

Weekend Wordsmith (“numbers”)