Do not be afraid,
not even of wild jackals that bark
or gangly ostriches that chase & peck.
Do not be afraid,
not of the untamed wilderness
or the silent desolation of the desert.
Do not be afraid,
not of the storms that rage,
not of the amassed armies shouting.
Do not be afraid.
The armies will grow hoarse and tired,
the storms will exhaust themselves in their madness,
but my strength is eternal; my voice echoes to the heavens.
Do not be afraid.
Wild animals mark their paths in the wilderness,
water creates a new way wherever it falls in the desert,
I will surely make a way for you even if your eyes cannot see it.
Do not be afraid.
The jackal howls my praise,
the ostrich dances awkwardly in my honor.
Do not let your fears turn you back: there is still something new!
Do not be afraid of all that you have always been afraid of.
I am your God; I am doing something new!
Isaiah 43:19-20
Words of encouragement esp when there seems to be so much of which to be afraid.
Thank you for this wonderful poem – something that can stand without embarrassment right beside The Psalms!
p.s. Why am I here 10 years late? I was googling for a depiction of an ostrich and a jackal honoring The Creator.
Thank you, Lawrence.