Don’t Be Afraid!

Have you ever considered the perspective of Jesus’ friends after he died? I wonder about the women who rose early, before the sun, and made their way to the tomb where Jesus had been laid. It was their devastating task to finish the work of burial, preparing Jesus’ body with spices and cloth.

In addition to terrible grief, they must have been terrified. The teacher they had publicly supported had been killed. They were supporting him still, in this burial act. Were they in danger? Was trouble at their heels that very moment?

When they found the grave empty, their terror must have tripled, at least.

Then suddenly a man who looked like lightening appeared before them. And what did he say? “Don’t be afraid. Jesus is not here. Jesus is risen.”

The women ran off, still afraid. How could they not be? How does one make sense of any of this? And then suddenly, Jesus stood before them, saying “Don’t be afraid.”

What must this day have been like?

Throughout the Bible, God or God’s messengers tell God’s people not to be afraid at least seventy times (and up to several hundred, depending on what words and phrases you count). The point isn’t that they were safe and there was no reason to fear. Quite the opposite! Most were in terrible situations. The point was that God was with them, and God promised them a love strong enough to conquer fear.

We are heirs of this promise still today, followers of the resurrected Jesus. Will we choose to live in fear, or in God’s love?