Fear or faith?

When faced by a big bully it is easy for the knees to buckle feeling faint from the terror. When Isaiah and his friends felt the power of their bully neighbor, Assyria, crushing them underfoot, Isaiah recorded these words of Divine wisdom:

“I, even I, am he who comforts you.


Who are you that you fear mere mortals,
    

human beings who are but grass,

that you forget the Lord your Maker,
    

who stretches out the heavens


and who lays the foundations of the earth,


that you live in constant terror every day

because of the wrath of the oppressor,


who is bent on destruction? (Isaiah 51:12-13)

When the terror is around us, it is easy to forget that we have a Creator God whose power is able to crush the bully. We can choose to live in fear or in faith. The choice is ours. – Ron Friesen

What do you hear today?

“What are the first sounds you hear as you wake up?” For me the first sounds I hear are the birds outside of the window. The more important question is, “What attitude do I wake up with?” The ancient prophet, Isaiah, made this observation about morning awakening:

“The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary.

He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.” (Isaiah 50:4)

Do I wake up with an attitude of openness to the Spirit or am I closed to the Spirit? What difference does it make? If we want to have a word of encouragement for the weary souls we meet along our daily journey, we need to have an open ear toward the Divine source of all wisdom. – Ron Friesen

God remembered you today...

Our world beats us down continually. Everywhere we turn we can find experiences that challenge our self-esteem. We wonder if we will ever find acceptance and love. When life really beats you up as it did Isaiah and his neighbors who were hauled off by their Assyrian neighbors to become their slaves, you have extra reasons to question who you are. Humanity may call into question your character, but God has a different opinion:

“See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.” (Isaiah 49:16)

God engraved your name on his hands when Jesus hung on the Cross. Those nail prints of love bear eternal testimony to his love for us. When everyone else seems to have given up on you today remember the God of the universe looked at his hands today and remembered your name. – Ron Friesen

It could be worse...

“It could be worse.” Has anyone ever said this to you as you are going through the difficulties of life? As we think about the challenge, we usually have to admit it is true – it could be worse. As the Isaiah’s neighbors were thinking about their enslavement in Assyria, I am sure they thought they had seen the worse. Then God says to them, “It could be worse!”

“For my own name’s sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to destroy you completely.” (Isaiah 48:9)

In the middle of our troubles, we find mercy. Why? Because we do deserve worse! – Ron Friesen

Do you want to run and hide?

What do you do when your fortunes are reversed? When life throws us a challenge we find ourselves responding in interesting ways. Some people sit and have a good cry. Others drown their pain in alcohol and drugs. Still others search out a listening ear and talk about their troubles. When his neighbors found themselves homeless, suffering in a strange land, Isaiah gave this advice:

“Sit in silence, go into darkness” (Isaiah 47:5)

This is actually very good psychological advice. Before we talk to anyone or find some distraction, we need to listen to ourselves: to our hearts. It is difficult, yet necessary, in a world filled with noise to be still. As we sit in the silence, we move into the darkness of our pain and suffering. It will be in the darkness that we will hear the still small voice of the Divine. When we have sat with our pain and find our healing; we can go and comfort those who are pain. – Ron Friesen

Worried about the future...

Many of us, as we mature and put on the years, begin to wonder: who will take care of me in my old age? This is a normal human concern. Isaiah and his neighbors experienced this anxiety with extra force since they were living in a foreign land with no guarantee of security. Isaiah took their concerns to God who gave Isaiah these words:

“I have upheld (you) since your birth,
   and have carried (you) since you were born.

Even to your old age and gray hairs
   I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
   I will sustain you and I will rescue you. (Isaiah 45:3-4)

As I live among modern day refugees whose lives are not unlike those of Isaiah and his neighbors, I find many of them have already experienced the truth of these Divine words. These refugees are a great encouragement and reminder to me of the faithfulness of God. Are you worried about your future? Look up! – Ron Friesen