Isaiah 7:1-14 - With Faith there is nothing to Fear.

In the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but they could not conquer it. When the house of David was told, "Syria is in league with Ephraim," his heart and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.
And the LORD said to Isaiah, "Go forth to meet Ahaz, you and Shearjashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Fuller's Field, and say to him, 'Take heed, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands, at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah. Because Syria, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has devised evil against you, saying, "Let us go up against Judah and terrify it, and let us conquer it for ourselves, and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it," thus says the Lord GOD: It shall not stand, and it shall not come to pass. For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. (Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be broken to pieces so that it will no longer be a people.) And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established.'"

Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, "Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven." But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test." And he said, "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Smile! There's nothing to Fear
photo by Jesse Barker, used under the creative commons license.
check out more photos at:http://www.flickr.com/photos/incendy/

Ahaz, a King of Judah and descendant  of David, had great reason to fear.  The Northern Kingdom of Israel had joined forces with Syria and planned to ransack Jerusalem, end the Davidic Royal line and set up their own King.  Yet, what is the wrath of man if the Lord will intercede? Surely, God can be relied upon when all seems to be lost.  Isaiah, came at the direction of the Lord and told Ahaz that what he feared would not happen and makes the statement, 'If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established."

Our faith is what establishes us.  By faith, Peter walked on water to meet his Lord. By faith, Abraham left his homeland to travel to Canaan.  All who have faith in the Lord, though they falter, shall be established. Peter sank when he doubted yet the Lord lifted him up. Abraham, in a moment of weak faith, sired a child through his wife's maid, yet it was his wife who eventually produced an heir.  Faith in the Lord is never a foolish thing for the Lord has proved Himself faithful, time and time again.

O Lord, when my faith falters, as it sometimes does, provide for me a sign as you did for Ahaz.  He thought it testing You to ask for a sign but it was at Your command.  Look with mercy upon me  this day and may I always be on the look out for signs You provide of your faithfulness. For surely You are! Amen.