Do not be afraid. Over and over, we hear those words spoken in the scriptures. The first time is to Abram when God comes to reaffirm a promise that Abram fears might never be fulfilled. Those words are spoken to Hagar as she seeks shelter and sustenance in the wilderness for her and her son, Ishmael. The words are spoken to Isaac, and to Joseph, to Moses, to Samuel, to David, to Mary and Joseph, and to so many others. “Do not be afraid.”
Often those words are spoken by angels, and if the Biblical description of angels having six wings, four faces, hundreds of eyes, or just being engulfed in flames, then a calming word was probably necessary. Sometimes the words are spoken by prophets seeking to comfort the people in the middle of trying times. Jesus says those words more than a few times to disciples who are overwhelmed by and underprepared for the work ahead of them. Do not be afraid.
The truth is, Beloved, we all have cause to be afraid from time to time. These are trying times in which we live. I often find myself feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of hurt in the world and underprepared to do much to change it. Sometimes, perhaps more often than I’d care to admit, I am afraid. And I need to be reminded–sometimes gently, sometimes firmly—do not be afraid.
But let us understand, Beloved, that these words do not mean we ought never feel fear. Rather, they are a reminder to not let fear be our operating principle. “Do not be afraid” means that we should not let fear be what drives our decisions. We cannot let fear change who God has made us to be. We cannot let fear deter us from doing what God has made us to do.
Do not be afraid. Dear Church, fear is a powerful manipulator. There are those who would capitalize on our fear as a way of turning us against our siblings who look, love, and live in ways that seem different to us. There are those who would wield fear as a weapon to divide and destroy and dehumanize.
But that is not who we were made to be. The voice of Jesus still calls out to us, urging us “do not be afraid.” We were made for relationship—with God and with one another. We were made to be our siblings’ keeper. So may your fears be calmed, and your faith be strengthened. May you trust in the One who calls you by name. And may you follow the example of Jesus, who took every opportunity to dispel fear by drawing closer to the other.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Will Starkweather
Last modified: October 24, 2024