Neville Turley

I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.”  Psalm 34:4 (NIV)

Throughout the Bible, reading like a constant refrain, is the exhortation “Do not be afraid.” God does not want us to go through life, running scared. 

Do not be afraid is very sound counsel. The same advice parents give to their children when they are frightened of sleeping alone in the dark or being left in the care of someone strange to them. One has only to attend a child’s first day at school to see how easy the tears flow at the thought of having to leave the known for the unknown.

Unfortunately, we are not much different when we leave our childhood years behind.  Fears of the unknown still grip our heart and paralyze our thinking.

We fear failure. We fear criticism and ridicule. We fear the possibility of terminal disease, a serious accident or an untimely death.

We fear for our loved ones. We fear that we will not be able to protect or provide for them in times of hardship.

In short, we fear the future not knowing what lies ahead and whether we will be able to cope.

In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:25-34) our Lord tells us not to worry about our circumstances but to put our faith in God each day.

We should never underestimate the negative impact our fears have on us. We need to conquer them before they become hellish nightmares. By teaching us not to worry our Lord is inviting us to step beyond our fears and anxieties through our relationship with him.

Our sovereign Creator is an awesome God of wonder. But for those who his Son has redeemed, he is also a heavenly Father. Our Father loves us. We are precious in his sight and he will meet our every need. Let us in turn serve him each day with unwavering devotion. If we do so our fears will fade, as our faith increases, and his love abounds in our heart.

Prayer: Gracious Father, your love has no limits. May the Holy Spirit dispel our fears as we put our faith in you. This we ask in Jesus name.  Amen