Abolishing Fear by Remembering God
Scripture — Isaiah 51:12-15 (NRSV)
I, I am he who comforts you;
why then are you afraid of a mere mortal who must die,
a human being who fades like grass?
You have forgotten the LORD, your Maker,
who stretched out the heavens
and laid the foundations of the earth.
You fear continually all day long
because of the fury of the oppressor,
who is bent on destruction.
But where is the fury of the oppressor?
The oppressed shall speedily be released;
they shall not die and go down to the Pit,
nor shall they lack bread.
For I am the LORD your God,
who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—
the LORD of hosts is his name.
Focus
It’s easy to be overwhelmed by apparently big threats. We can see “enemies” looming and feel deeply afraid. That’s what happened with Israel many centuries ago. But through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord reassures the people. God reminds them of the matchless divine power that is present for them. When we remember God, fear dissipates.
Devotion
Do you ever find yourself gripped by fear? Are there times when your anxiety seems to devour your spirit? You pray in the hope of finding relief, but you can’t seem to get the fear out of your heart. Do you know this experience? I confess that I do. I’ve been a worrier since I was a child. And though I have certainly known the peace of God that passes all understanding, there are times when worry strangles my soul. It seems to be something that runs in my family.
At times, I find myself rather like Israel. Israel was a small nation, one that had been an easy target for larger empires seeking expansion. The Persians overthrew the northern kingdom in the eighth century BC. The Babylonians invaded the southern kingdom and decimated Jerusalem in the sixth century. Egyptian power continued to threaten Israel’s well-being. No wonder she felt afraid “continually all day long because of the fury of the oppressor” (51:13).
Yet the antidote to Israel’s fear was on her doorstep if she would but open the door. However big and powerful her human enemies might have seemed, God was bigger and more powerful. God is the Creator who “stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth” (51:13) Confidence in the face of human threats was available to Israel . . . if she would not forget the Lord. Oh, I suppose that, in principle, Israel remembered the God who had so often saved her. But when it came to daily living, when it came to how Israel felt in real time, she forgot who God was and what God had done.
And so do I, at times. Maybe you do too, sometimes. When we read stories of economic collapse, when our loved ones struggle with seemingly insurmountable burdens, when we witness the tragic killing of innocent people, when we see injustice and feel powerless to help, and when we face our own mortality, we can forget the Lord. We forget God’s faithfulness, majesty, power, and mercy. We forget that God is always with us and that nothing can separate us from God’s love (Rom 8:38-39). In times like these, we need the reminder of Isaiah 51. We need to know, once again, that God is great and gracious, mighty and merciful. Then, we need to remember that this amazing God is there for us.
Reflect
Can you think of times when you have “forgotten” the Lord and found your soul gripped by fear?
If you have experienced this, what keeps you from trusting God?
What helps you to remember God in times of distress? What helps you to be reassured and comforted?
Act
Jot down in your journal or in some other place a list of ways you have experienced God’s power in your life.
Pray
Gracious God, how many times have I forgotten you? A hundred? A thousand? Ten thousand? I shudder to think of the number. It’s not that I stopped believing in you or that my theology has changed. But practically, and especially in my emotions, I forget your presence in my life. Your faithfulness disappears from my consciousness for a while. I feel afraid . . . afraid of where my life is heading, afraid of how my children will turn out, afraid of missing your blessing, afraid of dying young, afraid of losing my job, afraid that this world will never know your true peace . . . you name it. (Indeed, Lord, you can name it!)
Forgive me, Lord, for living as if you weren’t there. Forgive me for the times when I forget you and your strength. Help me to live each moment of each day with the sense of your presence. May I claim your promises and stake my life upon them. Even as you never forget me, dear Lord, may I never forget you. Amen.
Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the High Calling archive, hosted by the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: The Anxiety Master.
Mark D. Roberts
Senior Strategist
Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a Senior Strategist for Fuller’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership, where he focuses on the spiritual development and thriving of leaders. He is the principal writer of the daily devotional, Life for Leaders,...