Whom Shall I Fear?

Isaiah 54:11–17

“Afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise, your foundations with lapis lazuli. I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones. All your children will be taught by the LORD, and great will be their peace. In righteousness you will be established: Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you. If anyone does attack you, it will not be My doing; whoever attacks you will surrender to you. “See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer to wreak havoc; no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from Me,” declares the LORD

Today’s verses in Isaiah provides great encouragement for me in the face of worry and frustration as it was surely for Israel. It is a very timely call to a posture of faith. In the end God will prevail because He is sovereign and as He will in human history so He is in our individual lives. God has promised protection and provision for Israel in today’s verses and likewise He has for us. God is awesome and we can trust that He will fulfill His vows, He is faithful and our future and our progeny is secure: “All your children will be taught by the LORD, and great will be their peace (v. 13).” King David was a courageous man, He did seem to have a lot of troubles from enemy kingdoms, complex family affairs, leadership, and he was not pure either, He is as sinful as we are, maybe even worse, but in the face of all that, he proclaimed, “The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of what shall I be afraid (Psa 27:1)?” He had faith in God. God promises that no attack on us will prosper because He is the creator of all and He directs everything (vv. 14–16), and He has our best interests in mind. The LORD assures us today that in the midst of the challenges of life, He’s got plans: “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart (Jer 29:11–13).” If God is with us, who indeed can be against us (Rom 8:31)? The LORD promises, “no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you (v. 17).” We will not only survive but thrive in God, and the peace that comes from Christ (Phi 4:7) will pervade in our experience and just as King David we can stand secure in whatever situation: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows (Psa 23:5).”