speaking to me, I saw seven golden
lampstands. And standing in the middle of
the lampstands was someone like the
Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe
with a gold sash across his chest. He head
and hair were white like wool, as white as snow.
And his eyes were like flames of fire. His feet were
like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and
His voice thundered like mighty ocean waves.
He held seven stars in his right hand, and a
sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth.
And his face was like the sun in all its
brilliance.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I
were dead. But he laid his right hand on
me and said, "Do not be afraid! I am
the First and the Last. I am the living one.
I died, but look - I am alive forever and ever! And
I hold the keys of death and the grave."
Revelation 1:9-18
the first words John hears
as he lays face down on the ground
in terror
must have sounded
so familiar.
so reassuring.
do. not. be. afraid.
for how often did
Jesus not say these
very words as He walked
with John and the others?
when the storm raged
and the boat was about to sink?
do. not. be. afraid.
when He walked on water
and was mistaken for a ghost?
do. not. be. afraid.
when the little girl died
while Jesus was still on the way?
do. not. be. afraid.
when worrying about provision
and worth and do You care?
do. not. be. afraid.
when He appeared after
being raised from the dead?
do. not. be. afraid.
"...be strong and courageous!
do. not. be. afraid. or discouraged.
For the LORD your God is with you
wherever you go..." Joshua 1:9
and I believe these words,
which God spoke through Joshua
long before Jesus walked the earth,
as the Israelites prepared
to enter the
Promised Land,
are words to which we
must cling in our own days.
fear is all around us.
and I'm talking about the
kind of fear that fears tomorrow,
if we even survive today...
the kind of fear similar to worry...
fear of things over which
we have no control.
and in reality, does that not
cover the majority of life?
this heart has wasted far too
much time in the past
living in fear.
but I am learning.
a beauty in the everyday
in the ordinary
in. this. very. moment.
exists that I at one time
did not even notice,
for nothing blinds the eye
quite like fear.
and when I read the description of Jesus...
my Jesus...the Lamb who was slain...
I am in awe.
and just let this sink in:
this Jesus is the one
who holds this
entire world and
everyone and everything
in His nail pierced hand!
and because of Him,
no one and no thing
can ever separate us from
the love of God.
"do. not. be. afraid." He said.
"take courage! I am here."
Mark 6:50
this filled my heart my friend.
ReplyDeleteLove you.
DeleteBeautiful Word Pictures of Jesus and His command not to be afraid.
ReplyDeletePraying for you, Tim!
Delete