PRAYER: Loving Father, thank you for allowing me to feel deep reverence for you, and not reverence in fear of your wrath. Thank you for softening my heart so that I can understand and accept your word, and yet not be terrified with my inadequacies. Abba, may your love in me produces a closer likeness to your holiness, righteousness, a sense of justice and mercy than all the laws, threats, and judges combined. I pray in the mighty name of Jesus, who transforms me from sin and poured out His love upon me. AMEN.
"Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love Him[b] because He first loved us."
- 1 John 4:17-19 NKJV
THOUGHTS: What is there to fear since God sent his Son to die to redeem us? What is there to fear since we cannot be separated from the love God has for us in Christ Jesus? What is there to fear except ourselves, and God has poured his Spirit into our hearts to reassure us and strengthen us in our weakness! As we love God and his children, we are reminded of his love for us which is far better than our meager love for others. Rather than run from him in fear, we bow before him in thanks knowing that he who hears our prayers is also he who loves us and yearns to calm our fears.
We must allow “love to cast out fear” (I John 4:18) of being hurt. Often fear creates what is feared. The more we are afraid we will do poorly on a test the more likely that we will freeze and do poorly. The more we are afraid of rejection by others, the more unnaturally we act, and the more likely we will be rejected. But the more we love someone without concern for our own acceptance, the more likely we will be accepted.
Fear is directed inward, focused on what will happen to me if I fail the test, or am rejected, etc. Love is directed outward, towards caring for the other person more than we care for ourselves. The more you look outward (love) the less you look inward (fear).
Of course Lewis points out other things than love that cast out fear: "Perfect love, we know, casteth out fear. But so do several other things—ignorance, alcohol, passion, presumption, and stupidity. It is very desirable that we should all advance to that perfection of love in which we shall fear no longer; but it is very undesirable, until we have reached that state, that we should allow any inferior agent to cast out our fear."
(“The World’s Last Night” in C. S. Lewis: Essay Collection and Other Short Pieces, 51)
GOD BLESS YOU.
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