“No Fear”
By Rev. Everett R. Kimble, Sr.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23, KJV).
My kids love haunted houses. Every year around Halloween they visit the haunted house attractions at some of the local theme parks. The thrill of being frightened and hit with a sudden rush of adrenaline is exciting to them. Apparently walking or riding through some dark shadowy area waiting on someone or something to leap out and grab you is a good time for my children and hundreds of others that are crowded in. Yet the fact that it is a show and not at all real does not seem to curb their enthusiasm. I have never really understood it, but that has never stopped them. They just get caught up in the moment and it is harmless fun.
Many believers get caught up with a sort of haunted house frame of mind. They go wandering through life waiting and expecting the next trial or struggle to jump out and take hold. I must admit, I get caught up myself. Losing a loved one, getting a dire prognosis or going through a financial meltdown are all horrifying and always just a quiet moment away from overrunning my thoughts. But just as we don’t really have to be afraid of the bite and the fright of the haunted house, as children of God we should understand that though grief, struggle, and disappointment are possible we don’t have to live in fear.
How many have digested the joy in this passage? The Psalm writer reminds us that even in the darkest, most horrifying places we don’t have to give into our fear and frustration. Verse 4 reminds us, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” Evil and calamity are surely waiting around the corner, but God promises that He has gone before us, fought for us, and taken care of all our needs; all we must do is trust Him.
“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38, 39, NLT).
No fear, God is always with you. Have a Full, Faithful, and Fearless Friday!
