Do not fear, or be afraid; have

I not told you from of old and declared it?

You are my witnesses!

Is there any god besides me?

There is no other rock; I know not one.

Isaiah 44:8

Do not fear or be afraid! The statement is a word of comfort and assurance but these words have power depending on who said it. Imagine yourself climbing on a mountain together with guys who grew up in a city and your guide who is an indigenous folk who lives in the area. It will take hours to maneuver the terrain until you reach the peak. You will go into dark places underneath trees, cross streams and rivers. Then in a moment you hear a strange sound. If your colleague will say, don’t be afraid it’s nothing you will begin to wonder, how did he or she knew that it’s nothing? But if your guide will say, don’t be afraid it’s a sound of a non poisonous snake, whose word will you take?

Words of comfort and assurance matter when it is said by someone who is an authority. We are used to this in our daily life, the doctor’s words are crucial when it comes to medical matters. The pilot words are reassuring when we hear it from the sound system of the plane during turbulent weather. Lately, we have a dose on how words matter and who said it. The recent upheaval in our banking system that leads to the Federal take over of the IndyMac Bank in California is a classic case. Some blame our NY Senator Shumer because he sent a letter to the Office of Thrift Supervision and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, saying he was ‘concerned that IndyMac's financial deterioration poses significant risks to both taxpayers and borrowers.’ Some claim it triggered the massive withdrawal because of the stature of the one who said these words. Just observe also how the markets watch closely and react immediately whenever Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke speaks.

The one who spoke guarantee the substance of the words. We take value the words of persons who walk their talk. It will take a life time to build this trust and confidence; it will take one misstep to loose it. Today we hear these words; Do not fear, or be afraid, word not just from anybody else but from God, who said, “I am the first, I am the last… there is no other God besides me. What a comfort and what a reassurance. In times of uncertainty, when the future seems so bleak this is what we need, a word from God, a word spoken not just with confidence but with authority – Do not fear, or be afraid!

Prayer

We take your word O God as it is!

Because you said so, we believe. Amen.

[Like a seed planted in the soil, it is our prayer that God's Word will grow in us as we nurture it in our hearts. Allow the seed to germinate. Your reflections and responses are welcome. Please click on the Add a new comment icon below.] Past Daily Devotions are archived at the bottom of the Sermons page.