Why Should I Fear?

"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Ps. 27:1, ESV).

This Scripture is worthy of meditation (of course, all Scripture is worthy of meditation).  This verse reminds us of the source of our courage.  We are not to find solace in our own strength, because our strength is insufficient for the calling to which God has called us in Christ Jesus.  We need a greater strength than what we possess.

David reminds us that the Lord is our light.  He is the ray of hope that pierces the darkness of our night and drives the shadows of doubt away.  The Lord illuminates our mind through the Spirit applying God's Word to our life.  As he enlightens us, we see the dangers of sin so that we can turn away from them.  The Lord shows us the path that leads to life.

The Lord is our salvation.  He has delivered us from sin and death.  He has rescued us from ourselves.  He has paid the penalty of our sin on the cross, and bore our shame.  The Lord saves us to the uttermost.  By his grace, through faith in Christ, we are no longer objects of wrath, but the objects of his love and compassion.

The Lord is our stronghold.  He is the fortress into which we run when the minions of Satan lay siege to our life.  He is the shelter in which we rest as the storms of life rage overhead.  He is our stronghold.  The Lord is fortress that cannot be broken into.

As David allows these images to swirl in his mind he comes to one ultimate conclusion: I have no reason to fear anyone.  Why should we fear when the Lord is for us.  If Christ is for us, who can be against us.  The reality is that all the world may be against us, but as long as Christ is for us the world will not overcome us in any ultimate or final sense.

Your righteousness doesn't depend on you.  It depends on the righteous payment of Jesus, who died in your place.  Your success doesn't depend on you.  It depends on the God who works mightily through you by his Spirit. As you seek to obey him, remember that man can do nothing to you that God does not allow.  He will uphold you and preserve you.  Don't be afraid, only obey him.