Zechariah 8:1-17 (NRSV)
The word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying: Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. Thus says the LORD: I will return to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts shall be called the holy mountain. Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of their great age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. Thus says the LORD of hosts: Even though it seems impossible to the remnant of this people in these days, should it also seem impossible to me, says the LORD of hosts? Thus says the LORD of hosts: I will save my people from the east country and from the west country; and I will bring them to live in Jerusalem. They shall be my people and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.
Thus says the LORD of hosts: Let your hands be strong - you that have recently been hearing these words from the mouths of the prophets who were present when the foundation was laid for the rebuilding of the temple, the house of the LORD of hosts. For before those days there were no wages for people or for animals, nor was there any safety from the foe for those who went out or came in, and I set them all against one other. But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, says the LORD of hosts. For there shall be a sowing of peace; the vine shall yield its fruit, the ground shall give its produce, and the skies shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. Just as you have been a cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you and you shall be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.
For thus says the LORD of hosts: Just as I purposed to bring disaster upon you, when your ancestors provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the LORD of hosts, so again I have purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; do not be afraid. These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace, do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath; for all these are things that I hate, says the LORD.
Thus says the LORD of hosts: Let your hands be strong - you that have recently been hearing these words from the mouths of the prophets who were present when the foundation was laid for the rebuilding of the temple, the house of the LORD of hosts. For before those days there were no wages for people or for animals, nor was there any safety from the foe for those who went out or came in, and I set them all against one other. But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, says the LORD of hosts. For there shall be a sowing of peace; the vine shall yield its fruit, the ground shall give its produce, and the skies shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. Just as you have been a cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you and you shall be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.
For thus says the LORD of hosts: Just as I purposed to bring disaster upon you, when your ancestors provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the LORD of hosts, so again I have purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; do not be afraid. These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace, do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath; for all these are things that I hate, says the LORD.
There are four little words that almost always let you know good news is coming in scripture (or two little words if you are reading the King James): "Do not be afraid." ("Fear not" in the KJV). More than anything else God tells us, it is this: "Do not be afraid."
Seems easy enough since we all like good news, but finding the courage within isn't always that easy, is it? Courage to move back home after exile and rebuild everything again; Courage to choose a way of peace rather than war; Courage to face a bully; courage to pass on that offered drink if you are an alcoholic; courage to send your child off to school for the first time; courage to ask for a raise; courage to admit your faith in God in the midst of a skeptical room; courage to change your spending habits to when you realize workers are being exploited in the making of products you've been buying; courage to leave a toxic or abusive relationship; courage to not enable someone who is fighting addiction…
Courage to say to God: "I am broken. Heal me," especially when aren't really sure what happens or how your life will change if you are healed.
The first words of the angels to the shepherds at Jesus' birth was "Do not be afraid," and Jesus used those words in his ministry all the time. They say that the opposite of love is not hate, but rather is fear. So what would happen to all the hatred and bitterness in the world if we took Jesus seriously when he said "Do not be afraid?"
We would be taking what the philosopher Soren Kierkegaard called a "leap to faith" (which we have over the years changed to "leap of faith.') And faith is what its all about, isn't it?
Christmas is coming with the angels poised to remind us, along with the shepherds, not to be afraid. Jesus is coming to take our fear and turn it into love.
The good news is coming. So, do not be afraid…
Holy one, be with us and give us courage: courage to live and love as you intend. Courage to hear your call and follow you always. Amen.
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