Fear is that horrible figure clothed in black; it slinks among the shadows and like worms eats away at your flesh. It is the darkest blackness and the bitterest drug. It drives insane, it carries souls to violence and death. And yet how subtlety the shadow creeps upon my skin, the prickles up my neck and like a cold, strong fist, wraps against this heart and squeezes. Squeezes, wrenches, murders. But then I see that flicker of candlelight, I hear that stillness settle to peace; the hand upon my throat slackens and falls away when He says “Peace, be still.” When that still, small voice whispers in my ears. I close my eyes and breathe Him in. Fresh air, pure air- Holy One, Immanuel.
"Thus says God, the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people on it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
'I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness;
I will take you by the hand and keep you;
I will give you as a covenant for the people,
a light for the nations,
to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
I am the Lord; that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to carved idols.
Behold, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth
I tell you of them.'”
(Isaiah 42:5-9 ESV)
