Do not be afraid

There is a lot of fear in the original Christmas story. I especially notice it in the first couple of chapters of Luke’s gospel.

When an angel shows up, old Zechariah is "gripped with fear."

When the same angel shows up to Mary she is "greatly troubled." (I’m pretty sure she is afraid too.)

When the angel shows up to the shepherds, they are "terrified."

What happens to all three of them?

To Zechariah, "the angel said to him: ‘Do not be afraid.’" (Luke 1:13)

To Mary, "the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid.’" (Luke 1:30)

To the shepherds, "the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid.’" (Luke 2:10)

See a pattern? To him, her, and them, the same words are spoken, the same ones God wants us to hear: Do not be afraid.

An encounter with the God is a fearful thing, but he desires to quickly dispel the fear. That’s the nature of God and his Amazing Grace.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear. And grace my fears relieved.
Allowing God into your life is a bit scary. Will he love me, even when he knows everything about me? His answer? Do not be afraid. His entrance to our world makes the point loud and clear.