~ Antidote to Fear ~

[Lani]

Exodus 33:12-17
12 And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.
13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.
14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
16 For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.
17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.


The Lord replied [to Moses], “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14 (NIV)





One day I experienced excruciating pain in my back. I tried applying rubbing alcohol to the area and took some anti-inflammatory medication, to no avail. The following morning when I awoke, my left foot was partially paralyzed. A week later I dragged myself off to a specialist. His diagnosis was scary: “You have a ‘drop-foot.’ A nerve has been pinched, cutting off its connection to the foot. I will have to operate first thing tomorrow morning, but it may already be too late. Your foot could be semi-paralyzed for life.”

As a hiker and outdoors enthusiast, I was devastated. That night as I prepared to go to the hospital, I remembered God’s promise: “My presence will go with you.” I went with peace and experienced the joy of the Lord’s presence throughout the procedure. Today I can still climb mountains.

Fear is a great illness for many of us. And the most powerful antidote to fear is the promise of God’s presence. The Bible is filled with testimonies of God’s servants who were gripped by fear when the faced adversity, but they were strengthened to endure by God’s promise, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you” (Gen. 26:24). The promise of God’s presence can carry us through life’s greatest challenges.



Prayer: O God, when we are fearful, remind us of your promise never to leave or abandon us. Amen.

Prayer Focus of Day: Someone facing a sudden medical need

Story shared by: G. McCann (South Africa)
Source: Upper Room Daily Devotional: 9/15/11

[ServeGod]

Thanks for sharing. With faith the size of a mustard seed we can climb mountains.
Thanks for reminding me of his great presence in all we do.