FEAR NOT!

 

         “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.”  Psalm 56:3

 

         A few days ago I sat in my basement, a storm raging outside, lightning and thunder and a

tornado watch.  I was in the basement with snacks and water and books and blankets. I was

there because a couple of my children had said, “Go to the basement, Mom,” and a couple of

neighbors had said, “Are you in your basement?”  I would have preferred to be in my warm,

cozy bed.

         I wasn’t afraid.  Perhaps I should have been.  It was a fierce storm.  Even the tall trees

behind my house were dipping low.  It had been almost a year since tornadoes whirled through,

damaging my daughter’s house, my friend’s house, demolishing my church.  So maybe I should

have been afraid.  I am not generally a fearful person, but there are times I am afraid.  We are

creatures of fear, aren’t we?  I wasn’t afraid of the storm, but I am sometimes afraid of the

future, afraid of being alone and ill, afraid of losing family and friends, afraid of the ravages of

age, afraid of losing my independence.  Yes, sometimes I am afraid.

         Have you ever thought of how many people in Scripture were told not to be afraid just in

the story of Jesus?  First, the angel told Mary not to be afraid when she saw the angel and

heard the announcement that she was to bear the Messiah.  I suspect as any good Jewish girl,

she had wondered what it would be like to be the mother of the Messiah.  She would find it

would change her life, pierce her own soul according to Simeon, but the angel said, “Don’t be

afraid.”

         The shepherds were out with their flocks, minding their own business, maybe even

wishing they were in their own cozy beds, when they saw the angel and heard the messagethat the Messiah had been born. The first thing the angel said was “Don’t be afraid.”  They

heard this amazing angel, then they saw a choir of angels.  A little bit out of their norm? A

reason to fear?

         As the disciples followed Jesus, there were a lot of occasions when they could have been

afraid.  After the amazing miracle where Jesus fed 5,000 men, plus the women and children,

Jesus withdrew to the mountain by Himself.The disciples went down to the Sea of Galilee,

planning to cross to Capernaum.  The waves became boisterous and they were afraid. 

Suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the sea toward them. This time Jesus said, “It is I.  Don’t

be afraid.” Then He calmed the sea.

         The night Jesus was betrayed, He was teaching the disciples one last lesson.  He said,

“Fear not.  I’m going to prepare a place for you and I will come again.  I will give you a

Comforter to teach you.  I will give you peace.  Don’t be afraid!”  Then Jesus went out to be

betrayed and the next day, crucified.  But He told them not to be afraid.

         Perhaps the most important time we hear the words “Fear not” was at the empty tomb. According to Matthew, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary had come to see the tomb. 

Suddenly there was a great earthquake, an earthquake so great and the angel so amazing,

that the guards shook with fear and fell down as dead men.  But the angel knew why the

women had come.  He said to the women, “Fear not.  He is not here.  He is risen.” The best

thing about that “Fear not” was what followed.  “He is not here.  He is risen as He said.” 

I have fears.  I suspect you have your own set of fears.  But we don’t have to fear.  Our

Savior is alive.  

HE IS RISEN!

                                                                                    ~~Faith Himes Lamb