he Lord has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. He said,

“Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do,
and don’t live in dread of what frightens them.
Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life.
He is the one you should fear.
He is the one who should make you tremble.
He will keep you safe.

Isaiah 8:11-14

The people of Isaiah’s time recognized that the kingdom was in decline and that there were threats from other nations. Because of those conspiracies, real and imagined, the people lived in fear of what might or will happen. Instead of turning to the LORD, they lived in a state of fear. Sound familiar?

Like our world today, there are conspirators and conspiracies. When we see violence and hatred and challenges to our faith, our imaginations can run wild, but we should heed the same warming God delivered to Isaiah in his day. We should not fear what may or may not happen. Instead, we should turn our hearts to the LORD.

Jesus told his listeners the same –

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 10:28-33

• Human power over others is limited. Others can harm our bodies, but our soul is eternal.
• God’s power is unmatched. Only He has power over all of Creation and even that power He demonstrates his care for us as individuals.
• God warned Isaiah and Jesus warned His listeners that being fearful of man is a shortsighted view. We are called to stand courageously.