Let Me Be Frank…(no fear)

But now thus says the Lord, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
Isaiah 43:1-2

 
There is a war inside of me.  It’s the war of not good enough vs. better than yesterday.  And unfortunately, the battle can begin at a moment’s notice.  Maybe an example is in order. 
 
I was sitting in the McDonald’s drive thru when I realized that the truck a couple of vehicles ahead of me wasn’t moving.  Complete stand still.  It’s a big truck and there was no going around this thing.  And you could feel the death stares and sense the frustration of EVERYONE behind this guy.  When was he going to move?!?
 
I got out of my car (in the middle of the drive thru) and helped the guy push his vehicle to an empty parking space.  He thanked me and I left feeling pretty good about myself.  Then I remembered the shake I was going to get.  I headed inside to place my order (this was BC – Before COVID) and then promptly proceeded to spill the vanilla shake all over the counter.  Any good I felt vanished in an instant.
 
The war may rage, but the victory has already been won.  Isaiah 43:2 gives us the promise of God but who is it for?  “He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel.”  In Genesis 32 we read that God gives Jacob a new name.  His new name? Israel.
 
The Lord created you.  He put talents and gifts in you.  He put hopes and dreams deep down inside of you.  And if you’re anything like me, you’ve got some stuff to sort through as you reach for those hopes and dreams.  But God loves you and He wants the absolute best for you!
 
The next part is what blows my mind…  He formed me.  Forming is a process.  It takes time.  It takes patience.  It takes surrender.  And God is molding and making me in His image, who He created me to be.  There may be a battle inside me, but I know who ultimately wins my heart.
 
“The rivers will not overwhelm you.  The flames will not consume you.  Fear not, for I have redeemed you and called you by name.”

And the God who calls us will equip us.  And the God who equips us will walk with us.  And the God who walks with us will continue doing that good work in our hearts while the battle rages.  Fear not, dear heart.  The victory has already been won.
 
Can’t wait to worship with you this weekend!
We are Central… and we’re in this TOGETHER! 
SOLI DEO GLORIA
-F