Genesis 15:1-6
1After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 2But Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” 4And behold, the word of the LORD came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” 5And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
After Abram wins a battle against incredible odds God comes to him and tells him not to fear. Winning a battle was one thing. But what has gotten Abram in a state of fear is not losing his life in a battle.
It is the fact that many years have passed since God promised an heir for Abram and his biological clock is running way over its limit. “Don’t fear” God tells him – “I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”
God says “Do not fear” many times in the Bible. And never does He tell people that they are talented, strong, or sufficient in any way. Never does God say “Do not fear, your enemies are small”. The reason people should not fear is always because God is with them.
This life is not about us. It does not matter how strong we are. It does not matter if the biological clock has expired. It does not matter how greatly the odds are stacked in favour of the enemy. What matters is whether God is with us or not.
God is not with you? You should be terrified. God is with you? You need fear nothing, not even those who could hurt you, ruin you, kill you.
It is not about us. God has saved us for His glory. He keeps us for His glory. He gives us things to do for His glory and we need fear nothing, not even those who can only kill us. We are to trust God, knowing that our lives are in His hands and that “mortals are immortal here until [our] work is done”.
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