Do Not Fear? - Psalm 27:1

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?

Fear in some ways is the great equalizer. These days, I know lots of people who are afraid.

Some are afraid of what kind of new world order we might be entering: they fear politicians, terrorists, and any manner of unknown, outside forces at work in the world.

Some are afraid of what leaving college or high school and heading into the grown up world means.

Some are afraid of losing healthcare. Or their health in general.

Some are afraid of losing a job.

Some fear moving away and leaving friends and family behind.

Some fear the strain on a relationship. Or an abusive relationship.

And some suffer from generalized anxiety disorder and just fear period.

And it should be said that many of those fears are valid and should not be downplayed.

It is easy to see this text from Psalm 27 in a cut and dried way: to see it either chastising us for any of the number of very real fears in our life.

Or dismissing the Psalm as unrealistic because of those realistic fears we have.

But we can hold both things in tension. We can acknowledge our very real fears and yet still know that God is the ultimate cause of our salvation from those things that make us afraid.

So, if you are afraid, don't let someone simply tell you not to be. 

But don't live there. Know that that thing you are afraid of does not have the last word in your life.

Comforting God, help me to work through my fears. Stay with me when that which I am afraid of feels closer than you. Amen.