Zephaniah 3:16ZEP 3:16
How easily we get discouraged! And then our hands get slack. They "hang down." Someone has said that "discouragement is of the devil" and we do know that our Gad is the "God of all encouragement." 2 Cor. 1:3 (JND). "God hath not given us the spirit of fear: but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Tim. 1:7. So we may well say "fear thou not... let not thine hands be slack.”
Fear Not, But Let Your Hands Be Strong
He has said again, "So will I save you, and YE SHALL BE A BLESSING: FEAR NOT, BUT LET YOUR HANDS BE STRONG." Zech. 8:13. It. is true this was said originally to the little weak remnant of Israel, but can we not take comfort and encouragement from it ourselves? It was perhaps a little over four years before this that the Lord through the prophet Haggai had been giving the same people encouragement, after needed reproof and stirring up. Three times in one verse He says "be strong." How precious it all is; "Ye shall be a blessing." We have learned to know and love the One in whom "all nations of the earth" were to be blessed. We ourselves have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in HIM. Now here is a sweet promise, inviting us to share, as it were, with Him the joy of imparting this blessing to others to—"all nations of the earth." Perhaps we feel we are too weak and useless to be a blessing. Well surely it is so, but then it is the Lord who is doing it, so we can just leave that with Him, and He says, "Fear not."