17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last,18 and the living one. – Rev 1
Fear. It’s a terrible monster. It keeps us from chasing the dream, asking her out, travelling, having kids, or asking for the promotion. Worst of all, fear can paralyze us from taking a risk for God.
To open the book of Revelation, Paul is told to drop the fear. A nice request, but how do we live without fear?
The first step to living without fear is to realize who is with us. Anytime we do something with someone else, the fear level drops dramatically. The simple presence of someone else makes us more brave than we would be on our own. Paul reminds us of what we often forget. Not only is Christ the beginning and the end, he is also the middle – meaning that he is present. He is with us. He is the living one. If the living one is present with us, what should we fear?
Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Zero.
So as we begin a new year filled with both hope and fear, let’s remember that as we follow Christ, he is with us. And if he is with us, what is there to fear?
Carry on fearless lovers of God.