Do Not Fear
By Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage, Guest Writer
Today’s Treasure
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine." Isaiah 43:1
Whether the crisis comes in the form of a wildfire roaring down the mountain or a river rising near your home, whether the crisis comes in the form of divorce papers arriving at your door or addiction landing you in a wreck, one of your earliest responses may be shock and fear. Into your frenzy, the Lord offers reason for calm.
Isaiah speaks the hopeful words, “Fear not,” even as he foretells the crisis God’s people, the Israelites, will face. Despite God’s warnings through his prophets, Israel has persistently rebelled against God. Their sins are about to bring disaster: Babylon will destroy their sacred home, and they will be exiled to a pagan nation. In the face of the coming terror, the Lord reassures them: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1b).
Although the crises we face may differ from the Israelites’, the reasons for peace and hope in the midst still apply. Why should we “fear not”? Listen, as God speaks over his people, over you, these hopeful words:
-“I will be with you” (Isaiah 43:2). When you feel you will drown in grief, be consumed by the loss, remember your reason to hope—Christ is in you by his Spirit.
-“You are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you” (Isaiah 43:4). When you doubt his love because of the troubles mounting on every side, remember that God sent his Son to die for you, because you are precious to him.
-“[I will] bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the end of the earth” (Isaiah 43:6). When you feel that the exile and isolation of this season will never end, remember that Christ was separated from God so you might be reunited to him.
-“I have called you by name, you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1). When you feel despised, abandoned, or orphaned by your losses, remember that Jesus was despised, abandoned, and orphaned so you might be called by God’s name.
Even as you shudder with the shock of your situation, let the Lord’s words wash over you. He created you, forming you even in the womb, for his glory, and he is redeeming you, bringing you back to him, through this severe mercy.
PRAYER
Lord God, We confess our fears, doubts, and struggles to You. Thank You for bringing certainty amid our confusion. Help us remember that we belong to You, that we are not orphans, and that You will never leave us. Help us to rest in the tender hope that we are precious to You. In Jesus’ redeeming name. Amen.
More free resources for help, hope, and healing:
Anchored Hope Biblical Counseling – Biblically grounded, clinically informed virtual counseling. We offer convenient and confidential virtual counseling with theologically educated and professionally trained counselors.
About the Author: Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage, MA, MEd, author, life and legacy coach, and speaker, helps people live, create, and organize their practical and spiritual legacies (www.elizabethturnage.com). Elizabeth co-leads the workshop, Organizing Your Life and Legacy, and has written From Recovery to Restoration: 60 Meditations for Finding Peace & Hope in Crisis and The Waiting Room: 60 Meditations for Finding Peace & Hope in a Health Crisis. Elizabeth and her husband, Kip Turnage, enjoy feasting and sharing good stories with their large family of four adult children, three children-in-law, and three grandbabies born this year. They are also the devoted “parents” of the beloved Rosie, a dog who thinks she’s a human.
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Originally published Monday, 05 February 2024.
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