READ: PSALM 147:1-5; ISAIAH 12
Julia couldn’t believe I was afraid of dogs. And I couldn’t believe Julia was afraid of chickens. When my family visited her family, we played with her neighborhood friends. One of them, Shannon, had a large, loud dog. Not only did Shannon love her pet, but Julia loved this dog too. I, however, found the dog terrifying. Once when it ran outside to join us, I faked a bathroom emergency until it went back to Shannon’s house.
Other times, Julia’s family traveled to visit us in the country. We raised chickens and let them roam free during the daytime. When we played outside, the curious chickens often followed us—and their presence scared Julia. She was afraid these clucking critters would chase us, peck us, or worse. Julia thought my fear was silly, and I thought the same about hers.
We all have concerns about different things. For one person, it might be stress about getting into college. For another, it could be anxiety about their parents’ marriage or bullies who torment them. And most of our deepest fears loom larger than annoying dogs and chickens.
But, no matter what worries us, God’s love and power are bigger than our fears. Because Jesus laid down His life for us, we can know that nothing can ever separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). His death and resurrection have secured forgiveness for our sins and made the way for us to live with God forever, so we don’t even need to be afraid of death!
Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can rest assured that we are God’s dearly loved children—and we don’t exist in this world without protection. Psalm 18:2 refers to God as our rock, our shield, and our fortress. Psalm 71:3 calls God our “rock of refuge.” And Isaiah 12:2 proclaims, “The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense.”
When Jesus returns and makes all things new, there will be nothing left to fear. And until that day, as we experience real fears—and scary circumstances that give us genuine reasons to be afraid—we can rest in our strong and mighty God. • Allison Wilson Lee
• Can you think of any fears in your life you try to minimize or pretend you don’t struggle with? You don’t have to pretend to God. He already knows you better than you know yourself, and He sees all your struggles with compassionate love. He can even empathize with you, because Jesus knows firsthand what it feels like to be human in this world that’s been broken by sin (Mark 14:33-34). Consider taking a moment to talk to Jesus about whatever has been worrying or frightening to you lately, and rest in the comfort of His strong protection.
When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. Psalm 94:19 (NIV)
