A word for the fearful
by Pastor Stephen Abraham
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‘Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear”’ (Isaiah 55:4a).
What is your biggest fear right now? I’m not talking about spiders or a Stephen King clown!
What threatens you? What keeps you up at night right now or has in the past? (Pause for a moment to contemplate this.)
Sometimes just having to face up to that kind of question is fear-inducing!
As I read Isaiah 35:4–7a, I’m fascinated by the phrase ‘fearful hearts/souls’. The most literal translation of the Hebrew phrase nimharê leb is ‘racing heart’. Twice in my life, I’ve experienced an actual clinical ‘anxiety/panic attack’. A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause. Just thinking about it makes my blood run cold; my pulse raced, I couldn’t breathe, and I was physically trembling. I felt such an impulsion to run away, to flee while feeling utterly trapped in my body at the same time. This phrase reminds me of that kind of attack – or at least what it is like to feel so deeply threatened that you experience an intense fight-or-flight response.
The call in verse 4 is for God’s people to minister to those who feel threatened and attacked:
Tell fearful souls,
‘Courage! Take heart!
God is here, right here,
on his way to put things right
And redress all wrongs.
He’s on his way! He’ll save you!’
I really like the way The Message version handles verses 3 and 4. It gives the sense of ‘restorative justice’ rather than a ‘vengeful God’ (which I think is more accurate to the original language).
It’s a command to speak, to proclaim to those experiencing mental/emotional hardship that God’s presence is close. They are not alone in their struggle, and God comes to meet them at the weakest moments and save them and put things right.
That is a powerful message. It implies that we are to intentionally address those in our communities who feel threatened and are struggling.
Who do you know right now who needs to hear this word? Can you think of someone who at this very moment needs restoration, repair, healing and transformation? How would you verbalise this message to them in your own words?
Sister/brother, you may feel immobilised by the threats facing you. You may feel like all hope is lost. I have come to give you a word of hope, one that has restored hope in my life in my darkest times. One word; the name, ‘Jesus’.
Lord, we name in our hearts those we know who need hope, who need things to be made right, who need your Spirit of love to calm their racing heart. You call us to bring that hope to others, to shine your light of hope into their lives. Give us ears to listen and lips to share the hope we have: your son, Jesus. In his name, we pray, Amen.
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