Conquering Our Fears Through Him Who Loves Us

"Today's Devotion" For April 22, 2005

Read: Matthew 6:19-34; Romans 8:31-39

CONQUERORING OUR FEARS THROUGH HIM WHO LOVES US

"Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." (Rom. 8:37)

In the early days of our nation's history a traveler came to the banks of the Mississippi River. It was early winter and the traveler faced a decision as to whether or not he could cross the river on the ice that covered it. There was no bridge. It was his only option unless he wished to remain where he was. The one overriding concern he had, of course, was whether or not the ice was too thin to support his safe crossing. Needing to get across the river, however, the traveler began to gingerly pick his way across the ice, creeping along cautiously on his hands and knees. About halfway across he heard singing behind him. Looking to see where the singing was coming from, he was amazed to see a man coming out of the dusk driving a horse-drawn load of coal across the ice all the while singing merrily along his way. The traveler was flabbergasted. While there he was on his hands and knees trembling with fear that the ice would break under his weight, in front of him, as if whisked along by the winter's wind, a man, a horse, a load of coal, and a sleigh were all being held up by the same ice on which he was creeping.

We're often like the traveler when it comes to trusting God's promises. We face uncertainties in our lives and instead of trusting that God will see us through them, we end up on our hands and knees crawling gingerly along through life, afraid of what might come next. We end up afraid to step boldly forth and appropriate God's promises for ourselves. The end result is that we very often fail to truly appreciate one of God's most precious promises to us--the forgiveness of sins that is ours in Jesus Christ. We often don't truly appreciate or comprehend the daily miracle of God's love to us in Jesus Christ.. We have a nagging tendency to depend upon ourselves rather than trusting God to deliver us from every evil and to provide for us under even the most dangerous and trying of circumstances. Sadly, however, we’re often most guilty of forgetting His promises when everything is going smoothly in our lives. Strangely enough, when things are going the best they've ever gone, that seems to be the time when we're the most likely to creep along upon God's promises, as if too much of a good thing must mean that the “other shoe is about to drop.”

Jesus understands our weakness of faith. He knows our doubts and our insecurities. He knows and understands that we often don't think about Him until things get really tough. Even then, He understands that it still takes us a long time to completely put ourselves into His loving care and trust His promises and His love. Regardless of all our failures to live boldly in God's promises our God and Lord still forgives us of all of our sins. Jesus' loving call to us is still "Come unto Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Mt.11:28). With confidence born of faith in Jesus, God's own gift to us by the power of His Word and Spirit, we are certain that we can overcome anything that would keep us from His love. We are "more than conquerors" through Him who loved us and gave Himself for us. In Christ we live lives of confident faith, filled with confident days of service to others in Jesus' name.

Prayer: Father, I thank You continuing to carry out Your promises in my life, regardless of my doubts and fears. You have given me the very faith You require of me for my salvation. In Jesus, even when I'm filled with doubts and fears, You give me Your forgiveness of all my sins and strengthen me in faith so that I might live confidently and boldly for You. Help me to be an effective and fearless witness of Your love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness to others each day of my life. Help me stand on Your promises with confident joy, reflecting the image of Christ Jesus to others so they come to know Him and Your love through me. In Jesus' precious name I pray. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright © 2005 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.