WATCHWORD:
Do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be afraid, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you
and I will surely help you.
Isaiah 41:10
Meditation:
Do Not Fear
So much is happening around us and it seems beyond our understanding and our ability to deal with it. The Omicron virus is now lurking about and apparently undetectable until you are infected. As I write this I am quarantined in my home waiting for the result of the test that I took yesterday. I had the symptoms of a bad cold, but these days never know. Plans to be with loved ones as we rang in the new year were on hold. We will do a reenactment when I am cleared.
In times like these, it is easy to let fear grip our hearts and occupy our minds. What we heard last night about the spread of this new virus, garners even more fear, if we let it. You know, much of our fear is of the unknown. That kind of fear fills our mind too much of the time. Yes, we hear God say to us, “Do not be afraid,” but we are. We need to remember these important, timeless truths: God is with us, God is for us, God is in charge and God loves us. His voice continues to instruct us: Be at Peace.
Friends, we are not alone. Even as the storm rages all around us, and darkness seems to close in, He offers us peace and refuge in the midst of all of it. He promises us hope and strength. Proverbs 3:5 is a true watchword: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Listen to what God is saying to you and trust that.
In 1907, Pastor Henry Van Dyke had just finished the service at Williams College chapel. After breakfast, as he was leaving, he handed his host a scrap of paper with the words ‘Joyful, Joyful We adore Thee’, then he said, “Here is a hymn for you, your Berkshire Mountains were my inspiration. It must be sung to the music of Beethoven’s Hymn of Joy.”
I love that hymn, the greatest thing about it is you don’t even have to sing it. It’s a prayer, and perhaps it’s one we need today:
‘Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away. Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the Light of day’.
I’m sure that we know that true joy is only available to those in Christ because we have redemption, forgiveness for our sins and we have the hope of heaven. A life full of joy is truly an amazing one, and it will get us through this brief period of darkness.
My soul will rejoice in the Lord
I challenge you to keep the words of that hymn in mind today… ‘Joyful, joyful, we adore you…’ and He adores us. Know that, keep that firmly in mind. Amen.
(This meditation is a revision of one that appeared in my Watchword for March 30, 2020.)
Bulletin Board:
Joyful, joyful, we adore thee,
God of glory, Lord of love;
hearts unfold like flowers before thee,
opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness,
drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness,
fill us with the light of day.
All thy works with joy surround thee,
earth and heaven reflect thy rays,
stars and angels sing around thee,
center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
flowery meadow, flashing sea,
chanting bird and flowing fountain,
call us to rejoice in thee.
— Pastor Henry Van Dyke
Closing Prayer:
Jesus tells us in no uncertain terms — I am taking care of you. Trust me at all times. Trust me in all circumstances. Trust me with all your heart. When you are weary and everything seems to be going wrong, you can still utter these four words: I trust You, Jesus. By doing so you release matters into My control, and you fall back into the security of My everlasting arms. Thank Him with gratitude and love.
