Dear First Pres,
Have you been tempted to be afraid this week? Have there been moments when you sensed that your heart was moving toward fear? The answer for me is, “yes.” There are some hard things going on in the life of our congregation right now. There are some households who are really hurting. Plus, there are some big decisions that need to be made for our future. There are some big events coming up on the calendar. All of these can be circumstances that cause me to fear.
Sometimes my sermons are as much for me as they are for anybody else. I think Sunday’s was one of those. This week I’ve had to practice what I preached. This early morning, before my feet hit the ground, I laid in bed and meditated on Jesus’ word to the disciples when they were terrified. “Take courage. I am. Don’t be afraid.” When I take time to remember who God is and what He has done for me in Christ, and who He has given me in the Holy Spirit, I am encouraged. When I focus on what is really true about the Gospel, the things that tempt me to fear lose their power.
Psalm 27:1 “The LORD is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?”
I’m praying today that the Lord fills us with courage and peace and hope in Christ. Even in the midst of the pervasive narrative of fear that runs in our culture and in our heads, may we remember the Great I Am, Jesus Christ, and be not afraid, so that we might live as His people on His mission in His world.
Blessings,
Jeremy
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