Hope In JesusSample

Fear meets us every day in three possible ways.

Fear, an internal attack. There are many things that make us afraid. I was talking to an engineer who attempted suicide 32 times. And each time the trigger was fear and depression. He read Jeremiah 1:5, and eventually realized that with God on his side he need not fear. Someone once said, there are approximately 365 different fears but for each of those fears the Bible offers 365 “do not be afraid” promises. 

Fear, a personal attack. The Bible’s description of personal attacks is very colorful. Those who want to destroy us are, people whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, waiting to devour us (Proverbs 30:14). They are as hot as ovens (Hosea 7:7). They want to flay your skin, break your bones, chop you up like meat in a cauldron (Micah 3:5). But, God’s response in Isaiah 3:15 is, “What do you mean by crushing my people by grinding the face of the poor?” declares the Lord God of hosts.”

Fear, a public attack. Now the attack is a collective effort. The plan was to destroy us from within. When that failed, an attempt was made to attack you personally. When that failed, a combined effort to put an end to you totally. The plan now is to surround you and not stop until you are destroyed. A war, the world against you. Yet, David’s hope is in the Lord. He says, “yet, I will be confident.”

In the midst of these three attacks, David’s hope is in the perfect place; to seek after the Lord, to dwell in the house of the Lord and to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. David’s hope was fulfilled when Jesus sought us, and turned us into the house of the Lord so that our souls might reflect the beauty of our Lord. The God who was out there is willing to come in here, so, “of whom shall I be afraid?”