Today i watched a father show his son a bullet hole in a wall. The son grew afraid and the father already was.

 I thought how we, as friends of the Prince of Peace, if we take than friendship seriously, not just religiously, are meant to according to Isaiah, move in the opposite spirit than fear if we are His Friends.

 That in Him we are safe havens of love and kindness, His presence is Peace, and we are carriers of that Presence; especially as darkness increases, and true light (not just ideologies) must come in higher contrast, as we tell the stories past and present of His kindnesses to us. (Isaiah 41).

 Isaiah is the most erudite and articulate of the prophets, expressing most of his content in fluid symbols which tap into the Reality of his message.

 So you see three directives in this chapter towards God’s friends, which is set in “end times”: don’t fear, rejoice, tell stories of God’s kindnesses so people can know Him, and see the high contrast with the shaking turbulences around them. We get to be living signs.

 There are three characters in this passage: those busy building idols, the friends of God, and God Himself. The setting is the end of the world! Pretty grand narrative here. Similar to chapter 63.

 That’s the opportunity now, in our times. So, we discipline ourselves to not live in fear. We hold fear captive in our hearts, so to the degree it doesn’t rule over us, we can bring that fearlessness to others. That’s the practice of daily overcoming fear.

I see increasing fear everywhere these days. But I’m clinging to His command to not be afraid (Isaiah 41), instead to actually rejoice and tell His Stories of life!  Isaiah taught us that His friends are the safe places on earth. Where His friends are, there is peace and true story telling. So, I won’t give into fear. Instead I will rejoice for the Lord is with me. And so I can be a place of Peace and Safety for others, and bring them into His Haven—the shelter of The Most High’s long story. Perfect love, cast out fear.

My job then will be to not be in fear, rejoice and tell the stories of God in my life. That’s my conviction for the rest of my life. That’s what God teaches us to do in the end times through Isaiah the prophet. And that’s what I want to do. Tell the stories, not live in fear and rejoice in God openly, overtly as a sign to others.