Fear has the power to debilitate us, cause us to make unhealthy decisions, erupt within us a volcano of hurtful words, and lead us down a dark path. Fear can come quickly and leave just as expeditiously. Or it can settle in our hearts and threaten to never leave. Fear is often brought on by uncertainty in our lives. It was the fear of uncertainty that changed the course of George’s life.

George Matheson was a brilliant scholar. Despite being visually impaired, he completed his degrees at the university and seminary of the Church of Scotland with high honors. Matheson lived with the uncertainty of sight, which began to fail rapidly as he got older. Just before his wedding, Matheson’s fiancé realized he would be totally blind. She decided to end the engagement and relationship. As he experienced what Matheson called “severe mental suffering,” he clung to the One that never changes and wrote the words that became a beloved hymn. Here are a few stanzas:

O Love That Will Not Let Me Go

O Love that will not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in Thee;
I give Thee back the life I owe,
That in Thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

O Joy that seekest me thru pain,
I cannot close my heart to Thee;
I trace the rainbow thru the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.

In the fear of uncertainty, Matheson’s fiancé left him, but he knew God never would. Matheson was certain that God’s love would never let him go. The psalmist expressed this truth in the following passage:

Psalm 33:20-24
Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

Father,
We pray with the psalmist. In the uncertainty of life, we wait for you. You are our help and shield. Thank you for your steadfast love that will never let us go. In this uncertain world, our trust rests in you alone. In Jesus’ name. Amen.