SCRIPTURE:
10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.
Luke 2:10
TIDING
Today is the last day
I can’t believe that it’s true
It’s been 25 days of writing
And it’s been just for you
I’ve been reading too much
Dr. Seuss to my kids
So now everything seems to rhyme
In rhythm and skids
It skids and it skattles
Making up words that rattle
Is part of the magic
when it comes and it goes
I’m a dad that’s for sure and this rhyme really shows10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.“But the angel said to them
“do not be afraid”
I bring you good news
Of joy and great praise
For the child to be born
Will bring everyone great joy
He’s better than Santa
With gifts better than toys.”
Here we are again in the scripture where the angel helps calm the shepherds anxiety by telling them do not be afraid. But it’s hard to just “not be afraid.” Fear is not always something that you can automatically shut off. Which makes me think about how the Bible, God, Jesus, all of that together often gives us advice that is almost impossible.
Jesus not only says “Do not be afraid,” he also says “Do not worry.” As I thought about these commandments, phrases, sayings, or goals that Jesus has for us I wanted to offer some edits.
I know that Jesus says “Do not worry,” but how about this….“Worry less.” What I really want to say is this…You have heard it said “Do not worry,” but I say to you “Worry less.” It’s almost impossible to get rid 100% of the anxiety, the stress and the worry. But with the power of God we can definitely decrease the worry when we keep our mind and hearts on Christ’s love for us.
So with today’s scripture I want to say this…You have heard it said “Do not be afraid,” but I say to you “Do it scared.” In my studies on real estate investment, stocks, and while I’ve been scrolling through snapchat I heard this phrase, “Do it scared.”Hearing this phrase has been very helpful for me. Even though there are situations that I am afraid of, I should never let that fear prevent me from moving towards the goal. It’s helped me release the pressure of the unrealistic expectation to completely remove fear.
It has helped me carry the weight of fear all the way to the bank of success. Sometimes I have to carry that weight all the way to the bank of forgiveness and humility. But then when I am afraid again, I know that I can carry that weight. In the end, we can do all thing through Christ who gives us strength, even when we are scared.
So when you can’t remove the weight of fear, carry it with the help of God and do it anyway. You’ll be better for it. Thank you guys for reading my devotionals these past 25 days. I’ve learned a lot through this time of writing. One of the things I’ve learned is that very few people keep up a daily devotional. But I’ve loved every second of it. It’s something that I may want to continue doing, just for me and to leave behind a legacy of writings my kids can read.
Thank you again for this Christmas journey that has helped me keep my eyes and heart in Christ.
Love you all and Merry Christmas!