Peace of God gives comfort

God will never forget you.

Scripture reads that even if mother and father were to forsake us, the Lord himself will take care of us. He has called you by name and you belong to him.

Scripture tells us in Isaiah 43:1-2, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you.”

No matter what we go through, storms of life, deep waters or the shadow of death itself, he is there. He promises, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Even with all of these precious promises, there are times we feel alone.

We can however, experience the presence of God in the midst of our circumstances and rest in his comfort and help.

He will be our peace in the midst of uncertainties.

The peace of God in our hearts is a witness to a walk of faith and belief.

Those who view our lives will see the evidence of trust in spite of the situations we walk through.

Our relationship and confidence in the Lord will provide us with the grace needed for all things and the strength to endure. In an examination of Scripture, we can see individuals who put their trust in the Lord.

It didn’t matter whether they were thrown into the lion’s den as was Daniel, or walking in the fiery furnace as the three Hebrew children experienced, their trust remained the same.

The God whom they all served would himself rescue, protect and remember them.

He was more than aware of the situation they found themselves thrown into, literally. However, they were not forgotten. As Daniel was placed in the lion’s den, a huge stone was placed over his escape route. For him, there was no running from the danger. His trust had to be that God saw him through the fear, by faith.

God did not forget his servant and he will not forget us. He knew exactly where his child was and what was going on in his life.

The Lord already dispatched angels to close the mouths of the lions before Daniel arrived.

God’s provision of protection and care for his own was evident to all as Daniel lived to proclaim, “my God send his angels to shut the lions’ mouths.”

God did not forget Daniel and God will not forget you!

Though he spent the night hours in a dark place, his prayer in essence was, “though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou O Lord are with me.” The three Hebrew children chose to take a stand for what they believed.

They would not bow down and worship the image set up by the King.

Their faith in God would not allow them to worship any other and for that their punishment was to be a fiery death.

As all three were cast into the furnace, they were not alone or forgotten. Jesus met them right where they were and all four walked through the fire together.

We are not to think or believe that we stand alone in the fiery trials of life.

We may not see him, but he sees us and is there in our midst to walk with us through it all.

The Bible says that there was not even a scent of smoke upon them as they were brought out alive. Although God did not deliver them from the fire, he still proved faithful to deliver them through the fire.

Maybe you are going through the fire today. Know that God is with you. He knows you and he knows where you are. The Lord is there and will bring you out! You may be going through trials today that are causing fear or pain. The anxiety of the situation may be too much for you to bear alone. The feelings of loneliness may be very real, but be of good courage today. You are not alone and you are not forgotten. There is no event in your life on this side of heaven that has escaped the notice of your Heavenly Father.

Look to the Lord, not the circumstances.

God does not change, but he can change your circumstances.

Lift your eyes up to him, your helper. Today, he says to you, “Fear not, for I am with you.”

Patty Scahill of Austintown is a conference speaker, author and hospice chaplain.