Daily Scripture – Tuesday, 3 December
2013 – Devotion – “FREEDOM FROM FEAR BRINGS FULLNESS OF JOY”
SCRIPTURE: Fear not: for behold, I bring
you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of
David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”(LUKE 2:10-11)
God’s word tells us to “fear not.” Someone once told me that there are 365
promises in the Bible which express the thought of “fear not,” one for each day
of the year.
On the night of Christ’s birth an angel
appeared to the shepherds on the hillside. The glory of the Lord shone so
brightly that the shepherds were afraid.
Quickly the angel said, “Fear not. Do not be afraid. Put away all your fears. I have good news for you!” These words calmed
the shepherds. Then the angel proclaimed
the glorious message of the birth of the Christ child. What greater message of
hope and joy could the angel have brought than the good news that God had sent
His Son into the world as its Saviour?
Today Christ says to those with troubled
hearts and those who are “in Egypt:” “Fear not - I have God’s message of great
joy for you.” Instead of fear, we can have joy.
His joy is not superficial; it is a deep, abiding joy that comes from a
heart at rest in God - a heart that knows the reality of His promise, “Fear
not; for I am with thee.”(Isaiah 43:5).
This verse sustained my husband and me
during our time “in Egypt”, during the years he was under-going chemotherapy.
We knew the deep abiding joy of replacing our fears with the knowledge that God
was with us on our journey, and when the journey was finished to be blessed
with the peace that only God can give.
PRAYER: Good and gracious God, help us
remember every day that all is “gift” and that you are the giver. Help us to
have the knowledge that we can come to you for all things, large and small, and
grant us the trust that will remove all anxiety and bring the peace and joy
that really does transcend understanding.
In the name of Christ our Lord. AMEN.
Jeanine Christian
TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
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Trinity United Methodist Church
4000 NW 53rd Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32653 United States
(352)376-6615
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