The LORD Waits to be Gracious…

 Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you;

And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you.

For the LORD is a God of justice;

Blessed are all those who wait for Him.

19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem;

You shall weep no more.

He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry;

When He hears it, He will answer you.

20 And though the Lord gives you

The bread of adversity and the water of affliction,

Yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore,

But your eyes shall see your teachers.

21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,

"This is the way, walk in it,"

Whenever you turn to the right hand

Or whenever you turn to the left.—Isaiah 30:18-21 (Emphasis mine)

I love the words of Isaiah 30:18.  What a beautiful, beautiful picture of our God.  He is the One who WAITS to be gracious. Chapter 30 opens with the Lord calling Israel stubborn children. 

"Ah, stubborn children," declares the LORD, "who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin;  who set out to go down to Egypt, without asking for my direction, to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!  (Isaiah 30:1-2, ESV)

Since Judah would not wait for the Lord to deliver, God would wait to be gracious to them.  Beloved, our God WAITS AND LOOKS for opportunities to be gracious.  Spurgeon points out the position of the wanderer in verse 21...his back is to the Lord.  And yet the Lord follows him so that he hears Him whisper behind him...This is the way...walk in it.  Such comfort this brings to my heart as I pray for those I love who need our God’s grace, guidance and love in their lives.  The Lord pursues them.  He is FOR me and FOR them. He wants my best and He wants their best. His desire is for none to perish but for all to come to life in His Son. 

Judah had refused to repent of their self-rule. 

For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, "In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength." But you were unwilling,  (Isaiah 30:15, ESV)

In contrast, listen to the words of the future remnant in the following verses who had repented.

It will be said on that day, "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation."  (Isaiah 25:9, ESV)

In the path of your judgments, O LORD, we wait for you; your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul.  (Isaiah 26:8, ESV)

O LORD, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble.  (Isaiah 33:2, ESV)

Be comforted all you who wait for the Lord.   Rest and wait confidently for Him. Trust His timing and put your trust completely in Him.  As you wait, watch Him fulfill His promise to be gracious to you and to those you love and pray for. 

Have you not known?

Have you not heard?

The everlasting God, the LORD,

The Creator of the ends of the earth,

Neither faints nor is weary.

His understanding is unsearchable.

29 He gives power to the weak,

And to those who have no might He increases strength.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,

And the young men shall utterly fall,

31 But those who wait on the LORD

Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint.—Isaiah 40:28-31

When My Heart is Overwhelmed…

 O God, my heart is steadfast;

I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.

2 Awake, lute and harp!

I will awaken the dawn.

3 I will praise You, O LORD, among the peoples,

And I will sing praises to You among the nations.

4 For Your mercy is great above the heavens,

And Your truth reaches to the clouds.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,

And Your glory above all the earth;

6 That Your beloved may be delivered,

Save with Your right hand, and hear me.—Psalm 108:1-6

I don’t know about you, but there are some days that I feel maybe a little like how Elijah felt in 1 Kings 19.  It’s obviously not the perfect analogy but, like Elijah, the journey through this life often feels too much for me.  My heart begins to sink under the weight of my grief and cares, and instead of walking by faith, I walk by sight.  The lying words of the world become louder than the words of my God, and I begin to believe them and not God. I forget how He has so diligently cared for me throughout my many years on this earth. I forget His faithfulness and His love.  I forget that He has delivered, delivers and will keep on delivering.

Yesterday morning was one of those times for me.  My heart was overwhelmed…weighted down with the cares of this life. I was weary and teary.  But beloved…God IS so faithful. He sent out His light and truth, and they brought me to Him.  Tears of joy, relief and grateful thanksgiving began to flow as I read His word to me. 

Have you not known?

Have you not heard?

The everlasting God, the LORD,

The Creator of the ends of the earth,

Neither faints nor is weary.

His understanding is unsearchable.

29 He gives power to the weak,

And to those who have no might He increases strength.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,

And the young men shall utterly fall,

31 But those who wait on the LORD

Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint.—Isaiah 40:28-31

But By My Spirit, Says the LORD of Hosts…

 “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts.—Zechariah 4:6

This word to Zerubbabel was to assure him that he would have an endless supply of the Spirit of God to complete the work of the temple.  Praying that my own heart would receive this word “to Zerubbabel” with meekness.  That I would come away strengthened with wisdom and might through His Spirit in my inner man and ready to obey.  Oh, for a greater dependence on God and a decreased dependence on myself!  Neither human might, wealth or physical strength is gonna be sufficient to get me through this vale of tears.  This is so hard for me to learn. Even though I know intellectually that I have an abundant supply of His Spirit to carry me through each day, my heart’s natural bent is to trust in me...in my power...in my ability...in my resources.  Weakness then for me is a good thing.  I can rejoice in it, because it forces me to look to my God for help.  In trusting myself,  I miss out on seeing the power of His Spirit in my life.  I miss out on what He has for me, because I am rejecting the help of the Spirit of God.  Think about that for a second!  Even saved with the evidence of His lovingkindness surrounding me, my heart STILL rebels and fights against Him.   No good comes of it and yet I return to that same wall over and over again.  How silly and foolish we are when we contend with our Maker.  Praying that this morning, as I leave my chair and enter in to the “real” world filled with curve balls, trials and challenges, that I can be a light to my family and others, not in my own strength, but by the abundant supply and operation of His Spirit in my life.  

Including some cross-reference verses that I found helpful to read.  

2 Chronicles 14:11 (KJV)

11 And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, [it is] nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou [art] our God; let not man prevail against thee.

Isaiah 30:1 (KJV)

1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:

Isaiah 32:15 (KJV)

15 Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.

Isaiah 63:10-14 (KJV)

10 But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, [and] he fought against them. 11 Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, [and] his people, [saying], Where [is] he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where [is] he that put his holy Spirit within him? 12 That led [them] by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name? 13 That led them through the deep, as an horse in the wilderness, [that] they should not stumble? 14 As a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD caused him to rest: so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name.

1 Corinthians 2:4,5 (KJV)

4 And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

2 Corinthians 10:4,5 (KJV)

4 (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

2 Chronicles 32:7,8 (KJV)

7 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that [is] with him: for [there be] more with us than with him: 8 With him [is] an arm of flesh; but with us [is] the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Psalm 20:6-8 (KJV)

6 Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. 7 Some [trust] in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. 8 They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.

Psalm 33:16,20,21 (KJV)

16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. 20 Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he [is] our help and our shield. 21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.

Psalm 44:3-7 (KJV)

3 For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them. 4 Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob. 5 Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us. 6 For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. 7 But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.

Perfect Peace…

 3 You will keep him in perfect peace,

Whose mind is stayed on You,

Because he trusts in You.

4 Trust in the LORD forever,

For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.

7 The way of the just is uprightness;

O Most Upright,

You weigh the path of the just.

8 Yes, in the way of Your judgments,

O LORD, we have waited for You;

The desire of our soul is for Your name

And for the remembrance of You.

9 With my soul I have desired You in the night,

Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early;

For when Your judgments are in the earth,

The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness

12 LORD, You will establish peace for us,

For You have also done all our works in us.

20 Come, my people, enter your chambers,

And shut your doors behind you;

Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment,

Until the indignation is past.

21 For behold, the LORD comes out of His place

To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity;

The earth will also disclose her blood,

And will no more cover her slain.—Isaiah 26:3-4; 7-9; 12; 20-21

Father…thank you for this beautiful chapter in Isaiah.  

I will focus up…I will abide in Your love. 

4 For You have been a strength to the poor,

A strength to the needy in his distress,

A refuge from the storm,

A shade from the heat;

For the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

5 You will reduce the noise of aliens,

As heat in a dry place;

As heat in the shadow of a cloud,

The song of the terrible ones will be diminished.—Isaiah 25:4-5

“Peace is the possession of adequate resources”; and those resources come from the Lord when you yield heart and mind to Him.”— George Morrison 

Oh Father…I wait for You. All Your paths are just, right and true. With all that is in me I will desire You…Yes, by Your Spirit I will seek You early.  You will make my soul as a well-watered garden. 

Oh Lord, when Your judgments are in the earth its inhabitants will learn righteousness. It is You who establishes peace in my heart. You do this work in me!  I am the branch of Your planting…the work of Your precious hands that You and You alone may be glorified. In the day of wrath You will hide me for I am Your precious child.  

For in the time of trouble

He shall hide me in His pavilion;

In the secret place of His tabernacle

He shall hide me;

He shall set me high upon a rock.—Psalm 27

I will dwell in the secret place with You, and under the shelter of Your wings, will I abide.  You will give Your angels charge over me to keep me in all my ways.  My heart, Father, is steadfast, focused on You.  I will sing and give You praise. For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens, and Your truth unto the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the earth.

For my light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Help me Father,  not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High

Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress;

My God, in Him I will trust."

3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler

And from the perilous pestilence.

4 He shall cover you with His feathers,

And under His wings you shall take refuge;

His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,

Nor of the arrow that flies by day,

6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,

Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,

And ten thousand at your right hand;

But it shall not come near you.

8 Only with your eyes shall you look,

And see the reward of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge,

Even the Most High, your dwelling place,

10 No evil shall befall you,

Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;

11 For He shall give His angels charge over you,

To keep you in all your ways.

12 In their hands they shall bear you up,

Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,

The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

14 "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;

I will set him on high, because he has known My name.

15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;

I will deliver him and honor him.

16 With long life I will satisfy him,

And show him My salvation."—Psalm 91

The Exceeding Grace of God in Us!

2 Corinthians 8

Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: 2 that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. 3 For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, 4 imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 5 And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. 6 So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. 7 But as you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see that you abound in this grace also.

Christ Our Pattern

8 I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.

10 And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; 11 but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have. 12 For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have. 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; 14 but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality. 15 As it is written, 

"He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack."

Collection for the Judean Saints

16 But thanks be to God who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. 17 For he not only accepted the exhortation, but being more diligent, he went to you of his own accord. 18 And we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches, 19 and not only that, but who was also chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which is administered by us to the glory of the Lord Himself and to show your ready mind, 20 avoiding this: that anyone should blame us in this lavish gift which is administered by us— 21 providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 22 And we have sent with them our brother whom we have often proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, because of the great confidence which we have in you. 23 If anyone inquires about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker concerning you. Or if our brethren are inquired about, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. 24 Therefore show to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf.

2 Corinthians 9

Administering the Gift

1 Now concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you; 2 for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority. 3 Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready; 4 lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this confident boasting. 5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation.

The Cheerful Giver

6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 

9 As it is written:

"He has dispersed abroad,

He has given to the poor;

His righteousness endures forever."

10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 13 while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, 14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!—2 Corinthians 8-9

The above discourse on giving by Paul is concluded with these words:

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

Beloved…God our Father gave His only Son so that we could live forever with Him in glory.  Jesus, for the joy that was set before Him (us), endured the cross. 

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?—Romans 8:31-32

10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him;

He has put Him to grief.

When You make His soul an offering for sin,

He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,

And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.

11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.

By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,

For He shall bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,

And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,

Because He poured out His soul unto death,

And He was numbered with the transgressors,

And He bore the sin of many,

And made intercession for the transgressors.—Isaiah 53:10-12

We cannot EVER outgive our God.  We can, however, as believers, manifest His likeness by giving (not just of our money, but of ourselves) joyfully and sacrificially.  How is this possible?  In and of ourselves it is not.  Without the Spirit of God living in us we can do nothing good.  But we are NOT alone.  The Spirit of Christ lives in us.  We have been crucified with Him; it is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us; and the life which we now live in the flesh we live by faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave Himself for us.

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.—Ephesians 5:1-2

He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.—John 12:25-26

Read Paul’s entire discourse in 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 again. Let its beautiful truths sink into your heart.  We can give as Christ gave because all of our giving is not of us but of Him. He is our sufficiency. He does the work. The fruit that comes from our obedience is also not ours but His. Beloved…it is God who IS able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. Oh, Father…Make us freely willing!

Deliver Me From Fear…

 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” 32 And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”

1 So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. 2 And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why has the LORD brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 So they said to one another, “Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.”—Numbers 13:31-33; 14:1-4

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.—1 John 4:18

Fear, cowardice and instability...all of us, like the Israelites, have been there.  Fear makes our thinking at best skewed and at worst chaotic.  We become like unbelievers running to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine.  We read, believe and feed on lies instead of immersing ourselves in the truth of our God’s word. We forget the ONE in Whom we believe and trust in our own abilities and schemes to protect us.  Praying today that each of us would look to our Lord and Savior.  That we draw near to Him...spending time with Him in His word, in worship and in prayer.  

Father,

How often does my mind go down wrong paths?  Paths of unbelief that lead to fear, grief and torment.  Paths where I worry about "evil tidings" lurking down the road...paths that lead me to be anxious and apprehensive rather than peaceful and serene.  Sometimes Father I am so afraid of what might lie ahead for me and for my loved ones...so afraid of pain and grief overtaking me and  being unable to bear up under it. 

Deliver me speedily, Father, from this kind of fear.  I never want to doubt Your promises to me or Your faithfulness.  I don't ever want to insinuate that You could forget one of Your children or withdraw Your hand of mercy.  As a believer I have been set free from this kind of fear.  You are my God and You are with me....I place my trust in You...in You I am confident.  I know that whatever may occur in my life, You, Father, will overrule it for good for me, your child.  Your word promises me this.  I do not have to be afraid of "evil tidings".  My heart is steadfast...fixed and trusting in Your mercy.  I am surrendered to Your will...Your desires for me, Father, are my desires.  I have learned that Your paths and Your ways are perfect.  I have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but I have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby I can cry out, Abba Father! You, my God, have not given me the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 

You are my God of love who dwells in me and perfects Your love in my heart as I, abide in Your word and surrender to Your will.  Your will for me comes from Your heart of love...I will not fear.  I am confident that You who have begun a good work in me will continue it until it is finished when Your Son Jesus returns.

Do as seems good to You in my life Father...I trust You.  I leave it all in Your hands of love. Make me perfect me in Your love...

19 Oh, how great is Your goodness,

Which You have laid up for those who fear You,

Which You have prepared for those who trust in You

In the presence of the sons of men!

20 You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence

From the plots of man;

You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion

From the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the LORD,

For He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!

22 For I said in my haste,

“I am cut off from before Your eyes”;

Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications

When I cried out to You.

23 Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints!—Psalm 31:19-23

The Victory that Overcomes the World…

 For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“I will dwell in them

And walk among them.

I will be their God,

And they shall be My people.”

17 Therefore

“Come out from among them

And be separate, says the Lord.

Do not touch what is unclean,

And I will receive you.”

18 “I will be a Father to you,

And you shall be My sons and daughters,

Says the LORD Almighty.”—2 Corinthians 6:16-18

Paul in the book of Philippians does not tell us to rejoice in our circumstances but in the Lord our God.  Similarly, in Colossians, he tells us to set our minds on things above not on things of the earth.  I, for one, am glad he doesn’t tell us to rejoice in our circumstances, because very often there is not much to rejoice in, in that regard.  We can, however, ALWAYS rejoice in the Lord.

Beloved…we are temples of the living God. As believers, He makes His home in our heart.   His Divine Presence is not only in us but surrounds us and goes before us as we make our way through this life.  We are His precious children and He is our wonderful Father. We are accepted in the Beloved. 

Today, by His precious Spirit, my heart will dwell here and not on my circumstances.  I will exercise faith.  I will trust His love and care for me and will not be afraid.  

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?—1 John 5:4-5

Behold, God is my salvation,

I will trust and not be afraid;

For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song;

He also has become my salvation.'"—Isaiah 12:2