Be Not Afraid

Then the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Be not afraid, go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you.” The words spoken to the apostle to the Gentiles echoes those addressed to Isaiah the prophet: “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will support you with my right hand” (Is. 41:10).

The God of salvation speaks tenderly to His spokesmen. He called them both by name and knows them intimately. God goes on to say: “I have put my words in your mouth and have covered you with the shadow of my hand, that I may plant the heavens and lay the foundations of the earth” (Is. 51:16). We need to learn how to speak the truth in love.

We have only to recall the words of the beloved disciple, “You belong to God, my dear children. You have already won the victory; for greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (1Jn. 4:4).

Jesus Christ is risen from the dead! Because He is truly risen, He has conquered death and restored life to all the children of Adam and Eve. “Where sin abounded, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant” (Rom. 5:20).

The Light of Christ has come into our lives and revealed the darkness of sin for what it was, thereby making us children of the Light. Through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Christ has established a field hospital to bind up our wounds and nurse us to abundant life. God’s every word is directed to bringing us to fullness of life in His Son. Having been redeemed by His blood on the cross, we have become a new creation.

As members of the new creation, we have reason to trust the God of our salvation. The Psalmist wrote: “Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him” (Ps. 62:5). Because God is faithful, we have nothing to fear.

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer” (Ps. 18:2). By His grace God supports us and by His providence He delivers us for evil. Trusting in God, our hearts find peace. We have no need to fear what anyone can do against us. With God at our side, we need not be afraid to speak the Gospel of Life and Truth. Pondering His Word, we strengthen our faith and hope.

Paul was right when he wrote, “If God is with us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31) The Lord Himself has chosen to be our inheritance and we can be confident that all that He does is for our blessing. God is always with us to shield us from harm and to guide us on the path to life.

--Father Jerome Machar, OSCO