These are scary days we live in. ISIS/ISIL beheadings weekly, wars breaking out on every continent, earthquakes, floods, plane crashes, Ebola, zombies, politicians (or are those last two the same thing?), and the fear inspiring news! If you are tempted to fear, our culture and the news will help you.
These are fearsome days. Every day we are given new reasons to be afraid and yet the bible invites us to a different focus, a different direction for our vision and emotions. These words from the last book of the bible invite a different look, a look up, a look away from fearsome things in dreadful places to a person...but not just any person....here is the invitation to a different look,
“Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave."
Don't be afraid. Why? Because there is one who is the A to Z, the living one who died and lives forever, the one who holds the keys to everything. In those few words following the command, "Don't be afraid" are all the reasons you need to not fear anything ahead even as the fearsome days get worse.
This person, as John discovers, is Jesus Christ, risen King, eternal Lord, God of everything.
In the fearsome day Jesus' invitation is this, trust me. I have all of this under control, I'm Lord of it all. Nothing happens without my permission. I'm fully in charge and I will take care of you. Will you let go of your fears and look to me? Will you change your focus from a fallen world to a risen Lord?
Don't be afraid! The King of Glory, Jesus Christ, is alive and Lord of all. Relax, enjoy your day, pray for the suffering, love the lost, help the poor, let go of your fears and know that God is sovereign even when it appears "all hell has broken loose." Don't be afraid. The King is king of even this, even now, relax and rest in him.
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