Everyone’s waiting for something. For the Christian, we eagerly await the second coming of our Savior. During this season of Advent -- the expectant anticipation of our Lord’s second coming in our celebration of His first arrival -- we are once more stopped in our tracks, jolted out of the everyday mundane with “Don’t be afraid! I bring you good news of great joy, which is for all people!”
Over the next four weeks of Advent, we will dive into this message from the angel to the shepherds. Why shouldn’t we fear? What is the good news? What makes it so joyful? Did he really mean for all people?
Don’t Be Afraid
When I moved to New York City, where my husband took a job as a pastor and director of a church and community center in a rough area, I wondered about safety. I felt OK about myself, but I had two young children—an infant and a toddler. What about their safety? Would the “big city” be too busy for them to thrive and learn? Would our neighborhood (referred to as the “drug supermarket”) present dangers I had never thought of? I held tightly to the verse in John’s letter that “Perfect love casts out fear” (I John 4:18).
In the beginning, I was secretly fearful, simply because the culture around us was so different. But, as I began to know people better, and understand the way things worked there, I began to have a great love and appreciation for my neighbors and the people in our church. The things around us that, yes, were dangerous and fear-producing were also the things that were galvanizing. We worked together to watch out for each other. The well-being of our children, and the children in the church brought community and comfort. There was joy in our victory over fearful things, and, more importantly, over fear itself.
A website I found says:
“‘Fear’ is spoken of over 500 times in the KJV. Furthermore, in addition to the ‘Fear nots’ many times the Bible teaches us to ‘Fear God,’ which really means reverence God alone and do not fear anyone or anything else. Expanding the search to look at verses encouraging us not to worry or not to be anxious would add many, many more ‘Fear not’ Scriptures. This is why I say that there are more than 365 ‘Fear nots’ in the Bible.” ¹
So, we could read a “fear not” scripture each day of the year, and not run out.
Imagine you are a shepherd, out on a breezy night on a hillside, watching over your sheep with a bunch of other shepherds. Suddenly, you see what looks at first like a meteor shower, then you see beautiful bright beings, singing and praising God. You are certainly faced with a strange and upsetting circumstance. You would most likely be looking for the nearest cave or bush for a place to hide. This is not anywhere in your culture, or your “shepherd’s play book.” And even what they say is strange—“I bring you good news. A Savior is born.” But, first, they say, “Do not be afraid.” God was looking after you. You are safe.
A savior, Jesus, is the antidote to our fear.
¹ www.quora.com/How-many-times-is-fear-mentioned-in-the-Bible