Fear without confidence leads to servitude, and confidence without reverence borders on pride; however, the combination of fear and trust embodies authentic love—free love—whereby we regard God as our friend, father, and bridegroom. A heart aflame with this love inherently fears offending the beloved and has faith in never losing that cherished favor. "Deliver their souls from death, and deliver them from death, and I will feed them." Thus, the Lord watches over those who honor and trust in Him with a fatherly compassion, aiming to elevate them in the most profound way: liberating them from the dread of death while providing for their life's needs. The righteous, fearing to displease God, find that He alleviates their anxieties, especially about their existence, which is fundamental to all good things. Their trust in His mercy ensures that He sustains them with continuous grace, especially during times of famine. These two forms of grace pertain to both physical and temporal salvation as well as spiritual and eternal deliverance. When the Lord rescues the souls of those who revere Him, He does so through His unique Providence, safeguarding their lives from various imminent dangers from which they could not escape by their own might. After granting this deliverance, He sustains their lives, providing everything necessary for their survival, particularly in dire times when others may lack. Spiritually, He delivers them from death by preventing them from succumbing to sin—the true death of the soul—or, if they happen to sin, He promptly draws them back to a redemptive repentance, calling them to grace, which invigorates the soul and saves them from eternal demise. Moreover, He nourishes those who dwell in Him through the Holy Spirit residing within, during famine, offering sustenance from heaven, such as manna in this wilderness as we journey toward the promised land, and refreshing them with fresh water that flows from the spiritual rock, providing heavenly solace and strength.
THEOSIS