If We Really Knew Him
Growing up, I had a terrible fear of the dark. Back then, we lived in a very safe area. People often left their doors unlocked, even when they went out. In those days, you could leave a package on the seat of your friends unlocked car parked on main street. I don’t know what I feared- the boogie man, ghosts. It doesn’t really matter, I was deftly afraid of the dark. I remember all too frequently waking in the night with the dreaded realization that I needed to use the bathroom. My stomach would churn as I contemplated what that meant- leaving the safety of my bed with the sheet pulled up over my face. In a rush, I would jump out of bed and flick on the light. Flying across the hallway as quickly as my legs could carry my, I would reach for the bathroom light as I closed the door behind me. It did not matter what anyone said. I could not rationalize away my feelings. I had a fear of the dark, and to me, that fear was real.
Interestingly enough, there was one exception. I could go any where with my dad, even in the dark. I knew he would protect me. He was a big enough to handle anything that came our way. I believed that with all my heart, and it changed my perspective of the night, at least when I was with my dad.
But what do I do with my other fears, the ones that hold me back, that keep my from stepping out into new spaces or from reaching out to that person in need? Well, what if I really believed that there was someone bigger than me, someone strong and capable, who would go with me? What if I knew that that person held me in the palm of their hand, past, present and future? That some one is Jesus. He reigns as King of Kings and Lord of Lord’s. Angels bow before Him (Revelation 7:11) He has authority over every other authority (Ephesians 1:21). He has broken the power of sin and of death.(1 Corinthians 15:55-57) Nothing can stand before Him. This same Jesus loves me so much that He gave His very life for me. Raised to new life, He promises to never leave me. He will stay with me for ever (Hebrews 13:5) and no one can pry me from His hand (John 10:29).
What if I really believed that? What if I saw Jesus as He is, not as some baby in a manger? What if I allowed these truths to sink into my heart so deeply that they changed my perspective? What choices would I make? What barriers would I cross? Reflect on that today as you walk the road God has put before you and remember, you are not alone.
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