Last night, a thunderstorm rolled through Columbus, and the kids jumped at every lightning bolt. Rachel and I try to encourage the kids to be calm in the face of the storm -- but the flash of lightning causes such a strong reaction in them. It's pure fear, and I hate to see my children afraid.
Each of us is controlled by some sort of fear. Some of us are afraid of aging. Some fear insecurity. Some of us fear anonymity, while others fear a loss of honor or resources. Some fear their past, while others fear the future. Often, we have a strange mixture of fears, many of them things we didn't even realize we were afraid of until much later. Parents fear for their children, while other have a fear of God (not the good kind).
I realize, at times, that if I long for my children not to be afraid, how much more does God long for us not to be afraid? What does it mean for you to hear the prophet Micah say that we shall sit under a fig tree and not be afraid? How wonderful that sounds... to lack fear. The central truth of the resurrection is that Jesus conquered death and therefore should remove the fear of death for us. It's a hard thing for us to realize, but when we look to God, we are looking to someone who can conquer every enemy, even death, and wants us to live without fear, trusting in the awesome grace of God.
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