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READ: ISAIAH 54:7-14; JOHN 16:33; ROMANS 8:31-39\n\n\n\nEight centuries before Christ\u2019s birth, a Hebrew girl clung to her mother\u2019s leg. Rumors of war loomed over Judah like an ominous raincloud. The ruthless Assyrians pressed against the northern border. Could Judah\u2019s towns withstand an attack? Northern tribes had already fallen.\n\n\n\nThe little girl\u2019s future looked uncertain; at any moment her life might crumble to pieces. Her community gathered around to hear the words of the prophet Isaiah, hoping for any promise of God\u2019s deliverance. The girl lifted her head when she heard: \u201c\u2018Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed,\u2019 says the LORD, who has compassion on you.\u201d\n\n\n\nGod didn\u2019t promise immediate deliverance from the chaos. The mountains could shake, the hills may disappear\u2014but even in an uncertain world, His unfailing love will prevail.\n\n\n\nEight centuries later, God-in-the-flesh announced that the promise of this coming peace was fulfilled in Him. But first, His followers would grieve. Though Jesus will surely renew creation and all who belong to Him will live with Him forever, until that day He said the world will bring troubles, but He has already prevailed (John 16:33).\n\n\n\nWhen uncertainty and dread overwhelm us, what do we look to for relief? Often, we blame God for not easing our burdens. Or we take the burden on ourselves to do better, try harder\u2014and then we beat ourselves up when things don\u2019t turn out as we hoped. But Jesus says, \u201cTake heart!\u201d (John 16:33). The peace of God never depended on our strength, but on God\u2019s unfailing love which can never be shaken. Even when the earth shakes beneath us, God\u2019s covenant of peace steadies us. \u2022 Shannon Smith\n\n\n\n\u2022 Isaiah spoke of God\u2019s judgement on His people\u2014how enemy nations would conquer them and take them into exile because of the people\u2019s stubborn rebellion and sin. Yet Isaiah also spoke of a promised Rescuer\u2014Immanuel, \u201cGod with us\u201d (Isaiah 7:14). He would take upon Himself the punishment for the sins of the people. He would die, but then live again, justifying all who turn to Him and bringing peace to the whole world. Have you ever thought about what it might\u2019ve been like for the people who lived during Isaiah\u2019s time in the Old Testament? When we face trouble, how could it bring us hope to remember God\u2019s promises, especially in light of what we now know from the New Testament about how these promises are fulfilled in Jesus?\n\n\n\n\u201cMy unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed.\u201d Isaiah 54:10 (NIV)