In Isaiah 41:13-20, the theme of "Fear not," spoke to my heart: 

“Fear not, for I am with you. 

"Fear not, because the God of Israel is your Savior."  

"Fear not, in the presence of your enemies" 

"Fear not, when the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the LORD will answer them." 

"Fear not, I the God of Israel will not forsake them." 

"Fear not, I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys." 

"Fear not, I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water." 

"Fear not, I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle and the olive." 

"Fear not, I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together; that men may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the LORD has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it." 

I love God’s use of “I.” He makes it clear that it is HIM that will make all impossible things, possible. He could’ve given up on those held in captivity, but he didn’t. He called them the chosen people and said he would not leave them. Especially in 2020, it is easy to become discouraged and disheartened. We see here that God won’t leave us; God will help us. God’s sovereignty and love becomes a comfort to his troubled people—then and now.  

Connecting to today's gospel reading, Matthew 11:11-15, Jesus is speaking to the crowds about John the Baptist. Compared to the prophets and holy men that came before him, there is no one greater than John. He is greater than Jeremiah, Abraham, Isaiah and so on. John was the last echo of the Old Testament. However, compared to the New Testament, John is inferior to all. Jesus says the smallest in the Kingdom is even greater than John. What? John the Baptist was the culmination of all that had been spoken about before, because he announced the coming of the salvation of God in Jesus of Nazareth. John the Baptist — and all the great prophets — were all amazing prophets of God, but they weren’t God Himself. They help set our eyes on the one true King, and we are called to do the same. No matter the obstacles, mountains, hurt, pain and suffering in front of us, God will provide for his glory. He has called us chosen. Christ found us when we were lost.  

God places his love on display and gives His people courage. I pray in the coming days of Advent, as we anxiously await the celebration of Jesus’s birth, that we rest in the promises of our Savior. His promise of security in changing and unchanging circumstances. His promise of providing strength for today and hope for tomorrow.