DON'T BE AFRAID...IT IS I

I am well aware by now that every time I turn on my TV set these days, I am going to be inundated with BAD NEWS....in fact, some of it is downright terrifying. The Covid 19 virus is still growing as more and more people are becoming infected and the death toll continues to rise. The economy, or what's left of it is in a crash and burn freefall...and every time I leave my house to run an errand to the grocery store or to the bank, I have this overwhelming feeling that anything I touch might have come in contact with the virus and it is just waiting to infect me and make me a carrier.

BUT THEN I REMEMBER THE WORDS OF JESUS that He spoke to his disciples while they were in the boat, in the midst of a horrendous storm, fearing for their very lives. Matthew 14:27 says,

"Immediately Jesus spoke to them. “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

What made those words so powerful? Well, for one, the disciples thought they had seen a ghost, approaching them on the water and they were terrified for their lives;  however, it was not a ghost...IT WAS JESUS, WALKING ON THE WATER, COMING TO THEIR RESCUE. He did not answer their fear that it was a ghost; rather He simply told them first to make a choice...

Choose COURAGE over FEAR!!!

Then, he told them why they should have courage. He announced, in a simple sentence, that the one coming to their rescue breaks apart every fear, every time...

IT IS I, therefore (my addition), DON'T BE AFRAID!!!!

It is all too easy to choose fear in our society today. Everywhere we turn there is something that is bigger than us; that threatens to harm us or bring destruction down upon us. We often fear what we know and usually, with little exception, we fear what we do not know even more.

But even today, in the midst of this horrible pandemic and economic chaos, we can choose COURAGE OVER FEAR as we hear Jesus say to us as to his earlier disciples....

"HAVE COURAGE; It is I. Don't be afraid." (For the entire story read Matthew 14:22-32)

I think the great evangelist, Dwight L. Moody, may have truly captured the essence of our fear problem when he said, "To FEAR is to have more Faith in your antagonist than in CHRIST!"

In fact, when you get right down to the heart of the matter, fear and the name of Christ should not be found in the same sentence....for where Christ reigns, fear is ALWAYS overthrown!

So who sits on the throne of your heart in these troubling days...is it the fear of the virus, the economy or some other unknown that has you "shaking in your slippers" ...or as a Child of the King have you chosen courage and in so doing, placed the King of Creation in His proper place.

If so, ALL YOU FEAR CAN BE ERASED as you live victoriously in the promise of the one who gave His life for you.

Shaking off all fears....Choosing Courage in Christ,

WPQ

Poem for the day...

When you turn on the TV these days

Does your heart seem to skip a beat?

As you contemplate the mess we're in

And  prepare to accept our defeat...

Well, don't throw in the towel yet

For our battle  has just begun;

Yes, fear can be a might foe,

But there's victory in the SON!

For when we place our faith in Him

And follow His mighty plan;

We can claim our victory,

When united in Christ we stand.

For there is nothing He can't defeat

No worry... nor foe... nor fear;

And we shall claim our victory

For Jesus is ALWAYS near....

So be strong and courageous, my friend

NEVER doubt His might and power;

With Him we shall overcome our fears....

Every second...every minute...every hour!!!!

WPQ © April 2020