Therefore We Will Not Fear…

There is an old story about two young boys whose mother asked them to chase a chicken snake out of the henhouse. They looked everywhere for that snake, but couldn’t find it. The more they looked, the more afraid they got. When they finally found it, they nearly killed each other running out of the chicken house.

“Don’t you know a chicken snake won’t hurt you?” their mother asked. “Yes, ma’am,” one of the boys answered, “but there are some things that will scare you so bad you’ll hurt yourself.”

Most of us have been there at some time in our lives.
When we act out of fear, we are much more likely to make hasty or even bad decisions. On other occasions, fear can be crippling. It can lead to intense worry, anxiety, and even inaction.

Maybe that is why the most frequent command in the Bible is, “Fear not.”

Fear Not!

Psalm 46 is one of my favorites: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble, Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea…

Let us pray: Dear God, when change threatens to overwhelm us, when our world feels as though it is coming apart when anxiety begins to rise up within us and we find ourselves worried about our families, our communities, or our health help us not to fear, but to trust. Remind us that ultimately we rest in your hands. Today we claim the promise of the scriptures, that you are gracious and merciful and abounding in steadfast love. Amen.