“Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” [GENESIS 15:1 NRSV]
Of all the words God has spoken to me over the years, “Do not be afraid” have to be the most frequent. I know that it is God when I hear those words in the depths of my soul. Perfect love casts out fear, so I have come to recognize that it is God who is speaking when those words calm me down.
I usually fear something in my life. Planes, trains, and automobiles seem to crash all around us. People I know and love get sick and die. Friends get divorced. Children are abused. It is a dark and frightening world. “Do not be afraid” echoes in my soul. Though fear frequently overtakes me, I am usually not afraid for long. I know that God is in control. Even if I should make a mess of things, even if something terrible occurs, I know that God is able to accomplish his ends.
God will never forget me. Like a mother whose child is nursing at her breast, God could never forget me. I am not trusting in myself, nor in my government, to protect me; I am learning to trust God, and therefore I am at peace.
What in life do you fear most? Can you let the compassionate care of God be the foundation of your trust and peace? How?
Lord, I turn to you with my fears, trusting you as my shield. Amen. [Faith That Matters]
