Saturday, December 5, 2020
by Jeff Hatcher

“And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.’” ~ Luke 2:10

The world is a scary place, so many dangers, decisions, and fears. Everyday we face the world not knowing what today will bring. We pray that God will protect us and our families from harm, sickness, and pain. I sometimes tell patients and families that there is nothing more that can be done.

When I was ill and told that I had an incurable illness, the fear really set in, and I, along with my family, were very afraid. I was very scared. I prayed to the Lord and said, “If You can cure the leper, the blind, the fever, the lame, and raise the dead… You can cure me.” But after struggling with this, the Lord told me, “FEAR NOT.”  He is in control and everything would be alright. He performed a great miracle in my life.

I also learned not to fear my fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord. I told people exactly what was wrong and what exactly I needed help with. The power of unity in prayer was incredible. I know without the support and prayers of my wife, family, and fellow believers around the world, I would not be here today. God has put us here together on earth to serve Him and each other. I have also learned to praise Him more and more for how much He loves us.

The Bible is full of “fear nots”. It provides me with comfort knowing that God loves me more than I can imagine, that He thinks good things about me (Jeremiah 29:11), and is now preparing a place for me and my loved ones in heaven.

So, during the Advent season, let’s turn our fears over to Him, release them to Him, and know that He will comfort us and work them out better than we could have ever imagined.