Our Certainty and Hope

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. (Matthew 6:30-32 NIV)

Unfortunately we live in an uncertain world where so much is unpredictable and unknown. It's easy, and almost expected, for us to succumb to the uncertainty and this is something which easily leads us into fear. Today, I want to remind you that you belong to your Heavenly Father; he created you and knew you before you were formed in your mother's womb. He knows the challenges we face, for, in Isaiah 43 he says "when you pass through the waters, I will be with you". There is a certainty (sadly) of adversity but there is the assurance of his "I WILL BE WITH YOU". 

My question for you to consider today is which one of those is bigger? The adversity or his "I will". Isaiah declares the goodness, the greatness and the power of our Father and invites us to trust him rather than allowing the adversity to overwhelm us. His "I will" is always more powerful than the adversity we face. 

In fact, as we read through Isaiah 43 we see that the only way to walk through the trials of life is to allow the Father to gather us to himself (verses 5-7). It is there, held in that place of intimacy that we can rest in his protection, provision and his presence. We can swap our anxiety for the gift of Heavenly peace which goes beyond our human understanding. 

We read the key to our certainty and hope in Matthew 6 - "Our Heavenly Father knows....." He knows what we are facing and our hope comes from the knowledge of who he is to us. He is a Father to us and so he provides, protects and wraps us in his presence. How then do we enter this certainty? I believe the only way is with a childlike heart. A child does not concern itself with uncertainty, it simply rests in the certainty of knowing its Mum and Dad will provide and look after them. A child can receive, whereas we adults tend to reason and apply logic. We are invited to go beyond that, into the realm of faith where we simply know we have a Father who loves to give us good gifts.