Thursday 19 January 2023

Psalm 119:145-160

Background

Fear is a powerful weapon! It has been effectively used throughout history to cause great division and pain. If you pick up a newspaper today, it will be filled with stories designed to make you fearful. We all fear different things: it might be a story about an invasion on our coastline, new technology brainwashing young people, or even a 'shock piece' on a church that has changed the words of a carol to be more inclusive. 

News stories stoke up anger and hatred but most of all they are designed to make you afraid. They make you fear a changing world that you seem to have no control over. They make you fear all kinds of things, including what might happen if a stranger moves in next door or if you have to sing different words to a song you really like.  Fear cripples us and isolates us from others.

John knew this and reminds those who would have received his letter that there is no fear in love because perfect love drives out fear. In the past few days we have focussed on the importance of love. We have looked at Jesus and God and how love is the catalyst for the good that is done in the world. Today we are reminded that the world will try to make us fearful. When we fear something we 'dis-trust' it: we are suspicious and we shun it instead of embracing it.

This section of John reminds me of The Fear Song by Harry and Chris. So I leave you with this because we don’t need to be fearful of the unknown or the stranger as we are people who trust in the God of love.

To Ponder:

• What are you most afraid of?
• Grab a newspaper or watch the news today. Which stories make you afraid and which stories make you happy or joyful?
• How can we dispel fear around certain situations or people that we find ourselves afraid of?