Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the World English Bible, ebible.org, all rights reserved)

For I, Yahweh your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I will help you.’
Isaiah 41:13 (emphasis added)

I could not wait for my firstborn to get big enough to hold my hand while we walked down the street. I have no idea why this was such a defining moment for me. But it seemed like that would be the moment that I became a parent. I dreamt about it. Thought about it. Fantasised, really. And eventually it happened. A little hand in mine, arm up-stretched, me slightly bent. Toddling along on their own steam — proper walking now. Not that shaky half-spin when they’re first learning. This was real walking. It was awesome.

I have no idea what the little one was thinking. Or how they truly experienced the moment. But I do know that nothing could stop them. Not that day or in the weeks to come. While they didn’t seek out my hand, when they got it several things occurred. They got brave. There was nothing that they couldn’t do. Nowhere that they couldn’t go. No step was too big. Single step from a park bench to the ground? No problem. From the vehicle out? No problem. Curb, drain, ditch, store aisle, dark room, or library. There was no stopping the little one as long as we were connected at the hand. They got energetic. Whether it was from the safety of my presence or the bravery of having a safety net, they wanted to go-go-go! They wanted to go faster than I was walking or wanted to. They wanted to go faster than they could actually walk. I’m not talking running, I’m talking the confused leg-foot jumble that leads to them swinging slowly at the end of your arm — protected only by that hand gripping them. They got blind. No longer were stairs, bumps, cars, curbs, dogs, people, or doors considered. I had their hand. Nothing harmful could befall them. They were WALKING and the world BEWARE.

God is our father. And here He says the same to us. He has our right hand. He says for us not to fear. He tells us that He will help us. Why do we still fear? As long as we are walking with Him, how can we fear? This is God. Creator. Mighty. Merciful. Gracious. Powerful. Indescribable and wonderful. Lifted mountains, parted seas. Stopped time. Crushed cities. Sent cleansing fire. This is the one who is walking beside us. This is the one who has our hand. This is the one who is declaring that He will help us. This isn’t a request. This isn’t a half-promise. This is fact announced. Why do we bother to fear?

The right hand is symbolic of honour and status. Again and again it appears in scripture as symbolic of ruler-ship, authority, sovereignty, blessing, and strength. It is used as a picture of strength and capability. What is God saying? That He has it. Our honour and status. Our strength and capability. Our ruler-ship, authority, sovereignty, blessing, and strength. It is all in Him. In Jesus. Remember the vine in John 15. With and in Jesus we have bounty, sustenance, strength, and bear mighty fruit. Without Him? Nothing. On Him we have a Rock secure under our feet (Matthew 7:24-27). Without Him? We flounder and sink (Matthew 14:22-33). He is our security (Psalm 91 and Hebrews 6:19-20). With Him holding our hand, we should feel secure and safe in each and every step we take (John 10:28).

There are so many examples in humanity and the natural world of things that make us feel safe. So that we don’t worry about walking down the street. Being in a house at night. Shopping among strangers. Travelling. The only difference here is that in the natural we can see and feel those things. We have tools, procedures, and physical security to show us we are safe — and often it’s an illusion. This verse here shows us that if we want to feel truly secure, we need to believe. We need to believe the Lord said it. We need to believe the Lord keeps His promises. It helps if you believe the Word because there are dozens upon dozens of examples of the Lord saying something and then doing it. Telling of something, and then it comes to pass. He doesn’t hide His truthfulness. He doesn’t hide His faithfulness.

Joshua 21:45, Joshua 23:14, and here in 1 Kings 8:56-57 ““Blessed be Yahweh, who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. There has not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by Moses his servant. May Yahweh our God be with us as he was with our fathers.” Psalm 145:13 “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. Your dominion endures throughout all generations. Yahweh is faithful in all his words, and loving in all his deeds.” Jeremiah 1:12 “Then Yahweh said to me, “You have seen well; for I watch over my word to perform it.”” And Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

This is not a God who doesn’t value truth (Numbers 23:19). This is a God who IS truth and takes JOY in truth (1 John 3:18, 3 John 1:4, John 14:6, and 2 Timothy 2:15). We were birthed by the word of truth (James 1:18). When God says something to us, we can feel the truth of it in our spirits. His truth resonates with the truth that is within us. Like calls to like (Psalm 42:7). If the Lord says He will help us, if the Lord says that He has our hand, and not just any hand but the hand that symbolises all those things that we feel make us who we are? If the Lord says it, we should believe it. It is so simple. And we’ve done it before.

If you are born again, you believed. You heard that Jesus died for you and rose again to free you of sin. The revelation of His Grace to you came upon you. His Faith was offered to you about salvation. You believed it. Why not believe this? The same Lord said it. The same truthfulness is at work. The same Grace is extended. The same Faith is in operation. You’re allowed to believe the Word. You NEED to believe the Word. The Word IS God. It isn’t a book, it’s a conversation. And a springboard into a relationship so real, so giving, so perfect, so merciful, and so gracious that it boggles the mind. It is easier to experience it than it is to explain it. But it takes a decision to believe.

He gives us the faith to believe (it’s a Fruit of the Spirit). We only need to use it. To decide. To choose. Just like choosing to believe on and in Jesus. Believe the words of the Lord. He will keep hold of your right hand. He is with you and will help you. He will. Even as we decide to run faster than we can, go wherever we think of, head straight toward obstacles and dangers, and plough ahead laughing, gasping, and joyful. Do not fear. He WILL help you. He WILL keep hold of your hand. He IS the Lord who says HE WILL DO THIS. YOU WILL NOT FALL (Jude 1:24-25). Believe it. Receive it. Walk in it.

Daily Affirmation of God’s Love: John 5:19-47

The Father loves us more than anything. He sent Jesus to us to bring us the Truth. Anyone who listens to the words of Jesus, believes in Him, and confesses Jesus is Lord has eternal life with God. Isn’t that love? To make being saved so simple? Believe and receive. Bam. Done deal. And Jesus did just that. He came and did the will of the Father. He said only what the Father told Him to say. They kept it simple. Easy. And universal. Everyone can choose to understand the revelation. Everyone can get it. Through Jesus. Who died for our sins and was raised again to life. Their love for us is so gracious and giving. If you haven’t, receive it today.

Your Daily Confession of God’s love to YOU:

Today God loves that I _______.