Bible study
One Verse–Three Promises
This month our Doubting Believer Member Community is talking about fear–and how to not do it. Last week we looked at Joshua’s call to be strong and courageous. This week, we’re looking at God’s word spoken by Isaiah to the exiles.
Fear not, I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You are mine.
There are, of course, healthy fears. The kind of fears that keep us from reaching in to a pit of vipers or walking in to traffic or riding in a car without a seatbelt. They prevent us from challenging the guy in the bar who is built like a linebacker to a fight or shaking up a bee hive to see what happens. Those are the kinds of fears that keep us safe and alive. We need those fears, or we Darwin ourselves right outta here.
But then there are those fears that keep us from living the life we are called to lead. Fears of failure, embarrassment, of not being good enough or of screwing something up can prevent us from doing the things we love, things we would excel at and (most importantly) things God calls us to do.
This short little verse of Isaiah 43:1 gives us three big reasons to live from faith and not from fear.
I have redeemed you
To the people this passage was written for (in exile in Babylon), this statement would have been a reference to God redeeming (or rescued) the Israelites from Egypt and seen as a promise that God would do the same for these exiles. We know the rest of the story–that God has rescued us from sin and death through Jesus Christ. What is there to fear when we have already been rescued?
I have called you by name
Doesn’t it feel good when someone you admire who’s only met you like once in passing, whose you’re sure has no idea who you are actually remembers your name? The almighty God, the King of Kings, the Alpha and the Omega knows your name! God knows our names and calls us each to live out our purpose. We know that wherever God sends us, we are not sent alone. The God who calls us and knows us by name goes with us.
You are mine
We belong to God. God’s hand is upon us. No matter what may assail and afflict us, we are safe inside of God’s love.
This is not only a great verse for helping with fear, I like to turn to it when I’m feeling discouraged and overwhelmed and sure that I can never possibly do all that the world needs done.
