9/365

Joshua 1:9 – ‘Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. DO NOT BE AFRAID; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you

wherever you go.”

Wherever I go???

Even to my kitchen when I start making coffee in the morning?

Even on my bike or as I walk my dogs?

Even to my car when I start it and head out to work?

Even when I am sitting at my desk going cross eyed at the screen in front of me?

Even when I am paying my bills?

Even at the grocery store after work?

Even making dinner?

Even watching football?

Yes…W H E R E V E R.

A few years ago I read a book called Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Harrison Warren. What I found most encouraging is that while I have heard it at least a gazillion times, God is everywhere with us. How grateful we can be for the mundane tasks, duties, and responsibilities that add to our life. How wonderful it is that He has given us the ability to praise him in the things that seem repetitive but are actually opportunities to glorify Him.

Ironically enough, these are also the same things that can start building up fear that can overtake us. Even without moments of challenge fear can take hold. Fear has the ability to take us like that.

As Paul David Tripp reminds us in New Morning Mercies…”…God’s people were often given to fear, and he knew where that fear came from. Often in these moments of challenge the people of God would panic because they were identity amnesiacs. They would forget who they were as the children of God and they would forget who God is in all his almighty power and glory.”

Fear causes us to close our fists, to close our hearts, to close our talents, abilities, and strengths. Fear also causes us to forget; forget faithfulness, forget presence, forget patience, forget peace.

There is a “letting go” feeling that happens when we release our fear from the stronghold of our conscious mind.  This freedom is where we find clarity. This open handed giving of who we are melds into this joy we find in giving of the gifts God has given to us. Relief resides in this.

I pray this finds within us the ability to remember all of these things that God has blessed us with.

Here are 8 more verses to remind us to FEAR NOT!

I Samuel 22:23 

II Kings 25:24 

Psalm 29:11 – The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.

Proverbs 3:25 

Ezekiel 3:9 

Jeremiah 46:27 

Luke 12:4 

1 Peter 3:14