Isaiah 41:13 – 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. (NIV)

"I don't know how to use that thing, and not sure I want to. What if I burn the fries?" On a video call, I was telling my friend Melanie about the new air fryer that Mom and I had received for Christmas.

Melanie said something like, "So what if you burn your fries?"

Since I am not really a cook, those ominous appliances that look like mini-spaceships with so many buttons and codes make me a little nervous.

"Once you get used to it, you will enjoy it," she said.

A friend of my mom and me was visiting us. After I got off my video call, I walked to the freezer and grabbed a bag of frozen fries. "Will you help me make sure that I do this right?" I pointed at the air fryer and held up the fries.

"Sure," she said. "It's easy." She talked me through each simple step and kept an eye on the numbers that I was punching in.

We set everything up and sat down. In 18 minutes, the air fryer buzzed that the cycle was ended, and then it buzzed when it had cooled down. I pulled the drawer out where the French fries had been cooking. They looked golden and crispy, and smelled wonderful.

I didn't burn the fries.

As we face the challenges in our daily lives, our verse for today is a source of comfort and courage for us. We may feel weak, afraid, or even overwhelmed by a cooking appliance like an air fryer, but we can trust that God is sovereign over all things. God is always there with us.

He is not distant or uncaring about our struggles, no matter the size of them. God guides, protects, and provides for us. I have no doubt that He sent our friend, who is a marvellous cook, to be on hand for my cooking experience, so that she could help me. It was as if she were taking hold of my right hand on God's behalf, and He were saying to me, "Do not fear; I will help you."

When we grasp God's hand, we are holding on to every part of Him as He leads us through each step of the way. He fills us with joy, hope, and love, which overcome everything else, including anxiety over cooking. This was just a simple example of God's power and love.

Let us not be afraid. Let us believe in God's promises that He is holding our hand, that He will never leave us, and that He will help us. So, go ahead and try it, and even if you burn the fries, it is okay.

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, we praise You and thank You for Your goodness and faithfulness. Guide us and show us how to serve You with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. You are our God, and we love You. Amen.

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About the author:

Becky Holland <rlhga@icloud.com>
Empire, Georgia, USA
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