Shaken


"Now the house of David was told, "Aram has allied itself with Ephraim"; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind." Isaiah 7:2

It's one thing to look at pictures and video, but it's something quite different to see it in person. The power of tornadoes and hurricanes is equal parts awesome and terrifying. On a single street, one house leveled, another completely unscathed. Massive trees twisted like pretzels, stripped of their branches, leaves and even bark, drooping defeated in the face of the wind's power. When the trees begin to be shaken, it's time to take cover.

Isaiah uses the powerful picture of trees being shaken to describe the depth of the fear that had gripped King Ahaz as his enemies amassed against him to destroy his nation. God sent Isaiah to let him know that this combined enemy army will not touch him. His violent shaking with fear was unnecessary. Why? Simply, God said it would not happen. 

Are we gripped in fear today? The storms of this life have a way of drawing us into fear and worry. Jesus never said we wouldn't have storms. He said we would have a solid foundation to stand on in the midst of them. Anger, denial, distractions, resources, and the like will never resolve our fears. Only faith can. As the Lord told King Ahaz, "If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all."

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