Held by Grace, Guarded by Peace

 Held by Grace, Guarded by Peace

Scripture

“For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” — Isaiah 41:13

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” — Ephesians 2:8-9

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” — 1 Peter 5:7

“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” — 2 Chronicles 16:9

“And he will be our peace.” — Micah 5:5

Life often feels like walking a tightrope in a storm. We scramble to fix our own problems, carry the crushing weight of tomorrow’s worries, and look for strength within ourselves. But Scripture reveals a beautiful truth: God does not expect you to hold everything together. He is already holding you.

In Isaiah 41:13, God promises to take hold of your right hand. The Hebrew word used here for “help” is ‘azar (עָזַר), which means to surround, protect, and provide desperately needed aid. God is not a distant observer. He actively surrounds you with His presence. He looks for opportunities to support you.

As 2 Chronicles 16:9 reminds us, His eyes range throughout the earth to “strengthen” those committed to Him. The Hebrew word for strengthen here is chazaq (חָזַק), meaning to bind fast, make courageous, and fortify. When you feel weak, God binds Himself to you to make you strong.

We do not have to earn this supernatural support. Ephesians 2:8-9 states that we are saved by grace. The Apostle Paul used the Greek word charis (χάρις), which means unearned favor, loving-kindness, and a completely free gift. You do not have to perform perfectly to receive God's help. It is already yours through faith.

Because of this radical grace, you can stop carrying your own burdens. 1 Peter 5:7 invites you to cast your anxieties on Him. The Greek word for cast is epiriptó (ἐπιρίπτω), which literally means to violently throw or hurl something onto something else. It is an intentional release. You can hurl your fears onto God because He has a uniquely deep, personal affection for you.

When you release your grip on fear and allow God to hold your hand, a supernatural shift happens. Micah 5:5 declares that Jesus Himself will be our peace. This is the famous Hebrew concept of shalom (שָׁלוֹם). Shalom is much more than the absence of conflict. It means completeness, wholeness, safety, and prosperity in your soul. Jesus does not just give peace; He is your peace.

Today, let go of the need to control. Throw your worries onto the Father, and let His grace hold you fast.

When we went through over two years of homelessness, it hit me hard. I have worked as many as 80 hours in a week to keep things going. Keeping everything going was my personal niche. I worked hard at work and even harder at home. So the whole homelessness because of a fire really threw me.

The town we were in had no support for us. We volunteered at the food pantry, but other than that we were fairly unknown and kept to ourselves. When we asked the town for help, they offered 12 dollars because a bus ticket to Portland was 6 dollars. We had our own vehicle. We just lost our home.

Luckily, some friends lent us a camper and parked it in our yard so we could pack up the garage and anything else salvageable.

Within less than a week, some folks less than a half a mile from us also had a house fire. They all got out okay, but a dog perished. We were blessed that all 9 dogs and 10 cats survived.

When we made it down to the local grocery store, we saw they had a collection jar for the other folks—three adults who had lost their home. We were three adults and a four-year-old. Our granddaughter worked locally and was well known, having worked at Dunkin’ Donuts and the hardware store. But no one put up jars for us. Maybe the other folks had lived there all their lives. Either way, I dropped 20 dollars into the jar. How the town treated us had nothing to do with those folks, and if anyone understood their pain, we surely did.

Eventually God worked everything out for us. Yes, it took time, but I know God was waiting on me.

I had become used to handling what needed to be done and had reached a point where I just did what I felt was best.

Eventually we found this land and moved here in an older garden-side pop-up camper. We arrived here in early September of 2019. We parked the camper and unloaded what we could. A lot of stuff got put on pallets and covered with tarps for the winter because there were no storage units available. We could not afford to have a power pole put in until January 2021. No power meant no heat. We had some mighty cold nights, including a few below zero. Northern Maine is winter from November until mid-May. Spring is about two weeks, summer lasts around three months, and fall is maybe six weeks.

Through it all, I found my way back to our Triune God. From there, back to church. And now I am a Lay Leader. I write these daily devotions and preach occasionally, do children’s ministry, participate in Bible study and United Women in Faith, help with our food cupboard, and when I can, I help others with chores or even personal care when needed.

Now I am spiritually better, and I can handle things better because I know from whom my help and strength come.

Our Jeep has been out of commission for two months now.

Last week our electricity was shut off because heat was 550 dollars a month during the winter, and I got behind.

Yet none of this changes who God is. God has got us. We are fine.

Our church is also walking through a season of change right now, and our prayers are for our church family. Our very well-loved Pastor Young-Eun Joyce and her loving husband Pastor Victor, along with their five beautiful children—Lydia, Abe, Grace, Esther, and Hannah—are leaving us on May 31st. They faithfully pastored not just our church, but four churches spread across 63 miles. They are deeply loved and will be missed so very much.

At the same time, we will be receiving a new pastor. Pastor Craig Taylor, his wife Meagan, and their children Riley and Ezra will be joining us at the beginning of July.

But through all of this, I have our Triune God to lean on. He will guide us and teach us as we walk day by day with Him.

Amen.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for being the God who takes hold of our hand and never lets go. Thank You for carrying us through every storm, every hardship, every season of uncertainty, and every valley where we felt forgotten. Forgive us for the times we try to carry burdens You never asked us to bear alone.

Lord, teach us to trust You more deeply. Help us to release our fears, our worries, and our need to control every outcome. Strengthen us when we are weary. Surround us with Your peace that passes all understanding. Thank You for Your grace that meets us in weakness and Your mercy that never runs dry.

We lift up our churches, our families, our communities, and every hurting soul today. Bless Pastor Young-Eun Joyce, Pastor Victor, Lydia, Abe, Grace, Esther, and Hannah as they begin a new chapter. Prepare the hearts of the congregation to welcome Pastor Craig Taylor, Meagan, Riley, and Ezra with love and unity.

And Father, for every person reading this who feels overwhelmed, remind them today that they are not abandoned. You are still their Provider, their Strength, and their Peace.

In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in Heaven,

hallowed be Thy name.

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done,

on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.

Amen.

BELIEVE, OBEY, BE BLESSED, AMEN.

BOBBA ❤️ 

Love, Penny 💛 I