“No Fear In Love"

"No Fear In Love"

     

   

    "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear" (I John 4:18).

    In a world that constantly beckons us to be afraid, our Heavenly Father would have His trusting children in Christ to live with a heart of peace.  Thus, He bestowed His love upon and within us when we trusted in the Lord Jesus.

    "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us" (Romans 5:5).

   Worldly fearfulness and Divine love bear an inverse relationship to one another.  They cannot coexist.  Boil fear down to it essence and self centeredness is exposed.  Boil love down to its essence and we discover unselfish devotion to God and others.  Nothing more drives us into the black hole of "I, me, and my" than giving into the temptation to distrust our Lord and allow insecurity to control our attitudes, words, and actions.  Conversely, nothing more causes the light of Christ to shine through us for the glory of God and the blessing of others than overcoming devilish challenges of fearfulness.  The love of God and the peace of our hearts go hand in hand, while fleshly self centeredness and fear slither together in the darkness of unbelief.

   We must connect the dots of peace and love, and of fear and self centeredness.  Our spiritual enemies tempt us with fearfulness in order to cause far more serious consequences than simply making us afraid.  They rather seek to enshroud us with selfishness.  We therefore overcome the temptation by the love of God, especially the love that indwells us to enable our devotion to our Lord and to people.  We cannot long live in fear as we remember and affirm that through Christ, we exist for God and others.  Thoughts and feelings of insecurity thus provide opportunity for overcoming fear by the "faith, which worketh by love" (Galatians 5:6).  This includes, by the way, the temptation to be fearful about the well being of others.  We do people no favors by being afraid for them.  Moreover, if we boil such fearfulness down to its essence, we find fleshly self centeredness skulking in the darkness.  The love of Christ rather leads us to proper concern for others, but a concern that leads us to trust God rather than surrender to fear.  Peace and love go hand in hand, heart in heart.  Fear and self centeredness also dwell together in the unholy union of devil, world, and flesh.

   "No fear in love."  We do well to remember this truth often, and to avail ourselves of the bond of peace and unselfish devotion to others.  A needy world awaits our walk in such tranquility, and its companion of Christ's love.

"Peace be with the brethren, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

(Ephesians 6:23)

Weekly Memory Verse

   Little children, keep yourselves from idols.  Amen.

(I John 5:21)