The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)
One of the benefits of being a person of faith is the confidence that comes with it. Once you trust God over everything else and believe that God’s love can transcend even death, then there is nothing anyone can do to you to take away the most important thing you have.
Long before the resurrection of Jesus, the Psalmist wrote the above words. They are words of transformation that demonstrates the confidence that comes from trusting God. Martin Luther wanted us to know and trust this and as he talked about the meaning of the first article of the Apostles Creed he reminded people that God provides and protects us and is the source of all blessings. His hope was that as we remember that truth, we would feel blessed to have been given these gifts simply because God is generous
After the crucifixion, Jesus overcomes death and returns to the disciples who are very afraid. When he appears in their midst, he comes to offer them peace. Their fear turns into a calling to continue the work of Jesus.
What are you afraid of and what fear or anxiety is getting in the way of you doing something that you think really matters? The psalmist knows your struggle. The Psalmist also knows the way out of that struggle is God.
We have more info than the Psalmist had. The God who raised Jesus from the dead has demonstrated that this is a God who can be trusted. Allow yourself to enter into that gift and see your fears diminish and your commitment to pursue whatever God is calling you to do become a new possibility.
