Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.”
NL Daily Devotion for Monday, December 11, 2023
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
God promises deliverance. Israel is languishing in the Babylonian exile, far from home and all they have held dear. I imagine there was pressure for them to assimilate and lose their identity. Like any conquered and oppressed people, they face losing everything that makes them who they are. It would be cause for great fear. God promises them that God will be in the midst of them, give them strength, hold them in God’s strong arms. Whether from the Egyptians or the Babylonians or the Romans, God continued to promise God’s people that they would never be abandoned. And in the end, God sent Jesus to break the hold of sin and death over everyone always. Whatever it is we fear, we know that we are not alone. God is our God and will strengthen us, help us, and uphold us in all things.
What am I afraid of? How does God help me in my fear?
