In this life we have many opportunities to fear. If you don't believe me just
read the newspaper! Identity theft, murder, infidelity, rebellious teens, tax
increases… Oh, and your house will be demolished next month to make way to a
newly planned regional road ...
Jesus clearly told us, however, that we have nothing to fear, for one simple
reason: He has overcome this world! "I have told you these things, so that in me
you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have
overcome the world." (John 16:33 NIV)
If we put Him in the driver's seat of our hearts, fear will not be able to touch
us! It's all a question of trust and control.
In addition, we are promised that "There is no fear in love. But perfect love
drives out fear." (1 John 4:18 NIV)
It is true that true love in hard to find on our planet, but if we give Jesus
the reins of our lives, we can welcome pure love into our heart. Who else could
love us this much?
"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son.
And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone
can have a whole and lasting life." (John 3:16 The Message)
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,
neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of
God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom 8:38-39 NIV)
Letting Jesus rule our hearts is an adventure that we can anticipate, one filled
with utter peace and excitement!
"So I never lose sight of your love, But keep in step with you, never missing a
beat." (Ps 26:3 The Message)
"If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but
gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give
us all things?" (Rom 8:31-32 NIV)
And believe me, true love does drive away fear!
Although I was born in the Flanders, keeping up with Dutch is much easier said
than done, especially if you have lived in North American for 30 years, where
English is the primary language.
So last summer when I arrived at the railroad station of my hometown, I had some
misgivings about using my decrepit and fossilized Dutch. I felt an urge to try
it, though, and as I approached the taxi driver, I uttered my own version of the
Dutch language … To my amazement, the driver understood me! Either that, or my
gestures were so clear that it didn't matter what came out of my mouth!
As I sat next to him in the cab, I forced myself to talk to him. I'm sure he was
thinking, "What a weirdo!" I mean, how would you feel if someone talked to you
like this: "Me fine. Town here beauty! That there a grocery store? Me good. You
good?"
How pathetic I must have sounded to his poor ears!
He kept on smiling, however, and he continuously encouraged me to go on. In
fact, a genuine admiration and acceptance radiated from him, and all of a sudden
he turned to me and exclaimed: "You speak an excellent Dutch my friend!"
Had he known I used to live there, he may have had his own misgivings! However,
it was then and there that I experienced "perfect love drives out fear". Nowhere
else in my town had I felt such confidence in my ability to make myself
understood in Dutch! Why? Because the taxi driver accepted me for who I truly
was, and instead of being critical, he encouraged me.
Where love reigns, fear disappears!
Are we willing to let God's love reign in our heart? Only then, and solely then
will we have no fear, no matter what the circumstances.
"Me finished. Good day to you. No fear! Love! Capito?"
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
messages. HTML and plain text versions available.
The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.