Fourth Sunday in Lent – March 30, 2025
“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” 5“Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. 6Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”
- Isaiah 12:2, 5-6 -
About 2700 years ago, the Assyrian Empire was the dominant power.  It was known for its powerful military, making it a formidable force, especially for the land and people of Judah.  The Assyrian Empire posed a major threat to Judah.  Judah faced the possibility of foreign invaders, political instability, and crises of one kind or another.  But despite all of that, Isaiah encourages the people of Judah to trust God because God will protect them.  The world in which the people of Judah lived was one full of chaos and unknown.
“I will trust, and will not be afraid” (Is. 12:2b).  Trust and fear find themselves at opposite ends of the spectrum.  If we have more fear, we have less trust, and vice versa.  Fear is a human emotion that comes easily to most.  Most likely, we fear something every day.  We might fear the loss of a job, the loss of a loved one due to tragedy or illness, wars, natural disasters, or relationships dissolving.  These are just a few that can take up room in our hearts.
But to not be afraid, well, that’s easier said than done!  How is it done?  How do we overcome fear?  It’s not a secret.  The answer is to know God and trust in him.  As we read through the Scriptures of the Old Testament, we notice how time and again God has been faithful to his people.  God cared for them tremendously.  He provided food, water, and clothing as his people left Egypt to wander the wilderness for 40 years.  And as we read through the New Testament, we once again bear witness to how God takes care of the spiritual needs of all people by sacrificing his son Jesus for the sins of the world.  Throughout the entire Bible, we read how God promises to love and protect us in every way.
If we look at our own lives, we take notice of the many ways God cares for us.  He has brought us to faith in Jesus Christ.  He has blessed us richly in, not only our spiritual needs, but in our earthly and physical needs as well.
As we read through these stories in the Bible and we hear and witness how God has loved and cared for his people from the beginning, then the more we are able to put our trust in him as well.  And the more we trust God, the less likely we will be afraid of the unknown around us.  We, too, can join with Isaiah in proclaiming: I will trust, and will not be afraid!”
Fourth Sunday in Lent – March 30, 2025
“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” 5“Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. 6Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”
- Isaiah 12:2, 5-6 -
About 2700 years ago, the Assyrian Empire was the dominant power.  It was known for its powerful military, making it a formidable force, especially for the land and people of Judah.  The Assyrian Empire posed a major threat to Judah.  Judah faced the possibility of foreign invaders, political instability, and crises of one kind or another.  But despite all of that, Isaiah encourages the people of Judah to trust God because God will protect them.  The world in which the people of Judah lived was one full of chaos and unknown.
“I will trust, and will not be afraid” (Is. 12:2b).  Trust and fear find themselves at opposite ends of the spectrum.  If we have more fear, we have less trust, and vice versa.  Fear is a human emotion that comes easily to most.  Most likely, we fear something every day.  We might fear the loss of a job, the loss of a loved one due to tragedy or illness, wars, natural disasters, or relationships dissolving.  These are just a few that can take up room in our hearts.
But to not be afraid, well, that’s easier said than done!  How is it done?  How do we overcome fear?  It’s not a secret.  The answer is to know God and trust in him.  As we read through the Scriptures of the Old Testament, we notice how time and again God has been faithful to his people.  God cared for them tremendously.  He provided food, water, and clothing as his people left Egypt to wander the wilderness for 40 years.  And as we read through the New Testament, we once again bear witness to how God takes care of the spiritual needs of all people by sacrificing his son Jesus for the sins of the world.  Throughout the entire Bible, we read how God promises to love and protect us in every way.
If we look at our own lives, we take notice of the many ways God cares for us.  He has brought us to faith in Jesus Christ.  He has blessed us richly in, not only our spiritual needs, but in our earthly and physical needs as well.
As we read through these stories in the Bible and we hear and witness how God has loved and cared for his people from the beginning, then the more we are able to put our trust in him as well.  And the more we trust God, the less likely we will be afraid of the unknown around us.  We, too, can join with Isaiah in proclaiming: I will trust, and will not be afraid!”