Friday, August 7 Do not be anxious, for I am your God.​—Isa. 41:10.

[Áine]

Friday, August 7

Do not be anxious, for I am your God.—Isa. 41:10.

 

We deepen our trust in Jehovah by getting to know him better. And the only way we can really know God well is by reading the Bible carefully and then meditating on what we read. The Bible contains a reliable record of how Jehovah protected his people in the past. That record gives us confidence that he will care for us now. Consider an example of the beautiful word picture Isaiah uses to illustrate how Jehovah protects us. He refers to Jehovah as a shepherd and to God’s servants as lambs. Isaiah says of Jehovah: “With his arm he will gather together the lambs, and in his bosom he will carry them.” (Isa. 40:11) When we sense Jehovah’s strong arms wrapped around us, we feel protected and calm. To help you remain calm despite the problems you may face, meditate on the reassuring words mentioned in today’s text. They will strengthen you as you face the challenges that lie ahead. w19.01 7 ¶17-18

[Chris7]

EXPRESSION EXPLAINED: An assurance is a truthful statement or a promise that something is definitely going to happen. The assurances that Jehovah gives us can make us feel less worried about the problems that may arise in our lives.

The expression “Do not be afraid” is mentioned three times, at Isaiah 41:10, 13, and 14. The same verses frequently mention the word “I” (referring to Jehovah). Why did Jehovah inspire Isaiah to use “I” so frequently? To highlight an important fact—we can calm our fears only by trusting in Jehovah.