Weekend Words

From Our Daily Bread...

Artwork by Amanda Claire

Fear of the Unknown - Read: John 16:31-33

"In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

Fear woke me at 3am on the first day of the new year.  The year ahead weighed heavily on me, overwhelming me with dread.  Illness in the family had long wearied me, and now, thoughts of the future made me afraid.  Will more bad things happen?  I wondered.

Jesus' disciples understood the fear of bad things happening.  Even though their Master had prepared and reassured them the day before He died, they were still afraid.  They fled when he was arrested (Matthew 26:56); Peter denied Him (John 18:15-17, 25-27), and they went into hiding (20:19).  Their fear during the upheaval of Jesus' arrest and crucifixion, as well as of persecution, led them to act contrary to his command to "take heart" and His promise, "I have overcome the world" (16:33).

But Christ's death and resurrection proved His authority and power over life and death.  He has the ultimate victory.  Even though the sinful state of our world makes suffering a certainty, we can rest in the truth that all things are subject to the authority of our wise and loving God.  Jesus' presence is with us (16:32-33), just as it was with His disciples, who later confidently went on to share the gospel to the world.  May God's promise that He's in control strengthen our hearts to trust Him in this new year and be courageous even when we don't know what the future will bring.

- Karen Huang

Artwork by Shrawani Bose

From A Lamp Unto My Feet...

Fear God and Fear Nothing Else

The world is shaking with fear. "What will become of us?"  "Where will it all end?"  "What if Russia...?"  "What if cancer...?"  "What if depression...?"

The love of God has wrapped us round from before the foundations of the world.  If we fear Him - that is, if we are brought to our knees before Him, reverence and worship Him in absolute assurance of His sovereignty - we cannot possibly be afraid of anything else.  To love God is to destroy all other fear.  To love the world is to be afraid of everything - what it may think of me, what it may do to me, what may happen today or tomorrow for which I am not prepared.

The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1, RSV).

And yet, Lord, the truth is that I am often afraid.  I confess it.  All the weight of Your promises seems sometimes to be only a feather, and the weight of my fears is lead.  Reverse that, Lord, I pray.  Give me the healthy fear that will make light of all the others: "the fear of the Lord is life; he who is full of it will rest untouched by evil" (Proverbs 19:23).

- Elisabeth Elliot

Artwork by Cyndy Szekeres