Fear Not, You Are Redeemed

"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name; you are mine."

(From Isaiah 43:1-7)

Catastrophe hardly begins to describe the apocalypse of the California fires.

I have a friend living near Pacific Palisades who has described the fear, the anxiety, of having to pack a few treasured belongings, evacuate her home, and prepare for a sleepless night.

As TV coverage continues of the spreading fires, the smoke, increasing wind, and power outages, devastation became beyond belief.

Interviews of local residents revealed a sense of hopelessness, grief, and shock as the disaster burned out of control.

Amidst the wind, flames, and destruction, where is God’s power to redeem?

The prophet Isaiah speaks Lord’s word of redemption declaring,

 “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you,

 I have called you by name; you are mine.”

Isaiah reminds the reader of God’s presence in their Exodus experience stating:

“Because you are precious in my sight

          And honored and I love you.”

You have been created by God, redeemed by God, named by God, and claimed by God, Isaiah proclaims.

For Christians, at our baptism, we are marked by water and Spirit identifying us as Christ’s own.

We are God’s beloved child; created, redeemed, and claimed by God.

God’s comforting words from Isaiah and Christ’s Resurrection have the power to transform the hopelessness, grief, and shock into hope, joy, and comfort.

No matter if you’re living a flaming nightmare in California or an ordeal of your soul, you are loved, chosen, and redeemed by God.