Advent and fear

Fear paralyzes us and makes cowards of us all. I speak here of fear as in cowardice, turning me into a numb skull so to speak.

We read in 1 John that perfect love drives out fear, and this has been, in my life, a rather perpetual problem- even if not so much as of late. Though it did return very recently for an unwelcome visit.

But when God comes on the scene in the Person of his Son, he does so in a sense that ends up driving out the fears of those prepared to receive this gift. The shepherds were terrified at the angel of the Lord appearing to them, but they end up running to the manger and finding the baby Jesus just as the angel had told them. They were not fearful, but excited and active in a new found faith.

Fear as in cowardice is never of God. This fear paralyzes us- just the opposite of what God wants to do, though right down the alley of the enemy of our souls. We need to ask God to let us see the cause of fear and then repent of it. It is almost always unbelief in letting ourselves be taken in by the problem, whatever problem it is, so that it becomes larger than life. Larger in our minds, even than God!

Instead, we need to hear God's word to us in Jesus. And run to the manger, acting in faith.

Fear should not be a factor in our lives in Jesus. Let's remember the Christmas story in light of this. In spite of the different reasons that various people in it could have been stymied by fear, they responded in faith to God's voice, and acted accordingly. We see the end of fear and the beginning of something new taking hold of them, and of us. And not letting us go, as we have something in Jesus that the world cannot give or take away.

(in case you don't understand some of my posting times, you might say it's UK time, or just any time I feel like posting- since I have to get up so early on the morrow)