Psalm 56: The Fearful, Part 5

In Running Scared, Ed Welch's excellent book on fear, he points out that the most common command from God in Scripture is "Do not be afraid." That surprised me.

And God doesn't tell us "Don't be afraid" with an attitude of impatience or scorn. He doesn't speak to us like I often speak to my kids. "There's nothing to be afraid of. There are no wolves around our neighborhood. There are no alligators in the state of Maryland."

No, God is a patient father. He comes to us with loving concern. He comes to us with compassion. He doesn't offer statistics and facts to assure us—he offers himself. He says, "Trust me. Do not be afraid."

Think about who is saying "Do not be afraid" to us. The one who gave his only Son for our sins. The one who faced death and the Father's wrath so that we could be forgiven and pardoned. The one who conquered death and rose again. The one who is at the right hand of God in heaven, interceding for us.

Think of this, brothers and sisters: the one who says, "Do not be afraid," is the one who was so filled with fear and dread in the garden of Gethsemane that he sweat drops of blood. Jesus was afraid, so that we could be freed from fear forever.

Verse 9 says, "This I know, that God is for me." The cross of Christ tells us that God is for us. And consider verses 12-13:

I must perform my vows to you, O God;
I will render thank offerings to you.
For you have delivered my soul from death,
yes, my feet from falling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life.

Because Jesus died in our place, all who repent of sin and trust in him can say, "he has delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life."

This is what it means to trust God. It means believing that, because of Jesus, God is for you. It means believing that he is in control—that he can work all things together for our good. That even if we suffer loss, even if we get sick, even if we our worst fears are realized, nothing can separate us from his love.

When I am afraid, I put my trust in God. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.

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