Lions and Tigers and Bears!

 

But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend; you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off”; fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish. You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all. For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” (Isaiah 41:8-13 ESV).

 

I’m sure you remember the scene in The Wizard of Oz as Dorothy, Toto, the Scarecrow, and Tin Man were going through the dark forest. They begin to think of all the terrible things that might befall them and begin to chant together, “Lions, and tigers, and bears! Oh my!” Perhaps a part of your journey has been through such dark path. But, it is not the thought of wild animals attacking that scare you. It’s the bigger risks that seem all too common in our day. These are natural disasters, health concerns, or financial destruction. For many it is the specter of death that looms as we age. These fears grip us in what seems to be an unbreakable fist, choking our hearts to the point of paralysis. Like Dorothy and her friends we can learn to overcome these fears.

 

Our heavenly Father knows how fears can cripple us. In the Scripture we find the message “Do not fear” some 365 times in one phrasing or another. Our reading comes from the prophet Isaiah. He is speaking God’s words to God’s chosen people, encouraging Israel to trust God—even though they will suffer in captivity—and not to fear, because God has an amazing rescue plan.

 

When we lose our job, learn that we have a serious illness, face a big financial loss, or watch a family member make dangerous choices, we naturally experience fear for the future. What is going to happen to us—or to them? How will we get through this? God’s words in Isaiah invite us to look at the big picture, the overarching story. Our God promises, in effect, “I am with you; I am your God; I will strengthen you and help you. My right hand will take hold of your right hand, so do not be dismayed.” It is His unfailing promise of good that will disperse our fear!