Day 244: Psalm 78:53

"He guided them safely, so they were unafraid; but the sea engulfed their enemies." ~Psalm 78:53, NIV

Like many other psalms, psalm 78 is a summary of the Israeli history, with all of the miracles God did, the heroes, and the failures of the nation. These kind of psalms, I understand, are unique to Israel, as no other nation (that I am aware of, anyways) records their ancient history with all of the failures left in.

Rome, China, Egypt, Sumer, they all glossed over the insufficiencies of their histories. Which is exactly why Egypt didn't leave a record of all of the Hebrew slaves escaping. What a failure to the nation! Why would you put that in your history?

Yet the whole Bible is full of imperfect people who miffed up big time. David? Yeah, he's a big one. Solomon? Totally messed up. Abraham? Lied to the king of Egypt. Big mistake. Moses? Uh-huh, he didn't even get to see the promised land.

But as the above verse reminds us, God was still with Israel, and Moses the whole time. God made sure that despite the miffs and messes, that His people still reached the promised land. God's plan did not fail even remotely for His people, and His goodness lasts. Moses may have led the people across the Red sea, but it was God's hand guiding the whole operation.

It was God who gave them courage, who caused the Israelites in the verse to not be afraid of the impending army of Egyptians. And it was God who saved them.

And God can save you too, no matter how many times you mess up and no matter how much of a failure you feel as a human. It's tough, it's hard, but the choice to obey is all in your hands. And the fact of the matter is that if you choose to follow God, He will guide you to safety. That doesn't mean it won't be through a hallway made of metaphorical water, but still.

Safe.

Day 243: Psalm 23:4

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. " ~Psalm 23:4, NIV

Psalm 23 is a famous psalm of David's in the 6 verses, he essentially praises God's goodness to him with some of the most famous imagery in the Bible. Because that's what the above it - imagery reflecting God's goodness.

Humans aren't very good at speaking literally. Our language, vocabulary, and idioms all reflect an abstract way of thinking. There is no literal valley of "The Shadow of Death". Death is abstract, it doesn't even have a shadow. Those who interpret the Bible literally can be mislead in that sense - the psalms are poetry, for cryin' out loud, we don't really want to bash babies' heads on rocks!

Thus by the points made in the above tangent, when I say you might be going through a valley of a shadow of death, you know I'm speaking metaphorically. The valley might literally be the streets of your town, or it could just be a certain circumstance that you have to experience multiple times a week. Regardless, like David said, we don't have to fear evil, for God is with us.

And He is with us in that same abstract sense that we're in a valley. He's not physically there, affecting you - yet He is there, all the same. God's rod is an image of a shepherd herding David the sheep. Often times the image of a rod is met with thoughts of beatings etc, but not for the Good Shepherd. God's prodding voice, leading the way, can be a refuge, a comfort, and where better to find His voice than His word?

Therefore the Bible can be sought out for comfort, just as God Himself can be sought for. He loves you. And no matter what He's leading you through, you don't need to be afraid. Have faith, if it helps. Just choose to believe it, act on that belief, and you'll find yourself believing it.

Day 242: Mark 6:50

"They all saw him and were afraid. But quickly Jesus spoke to them and said, “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”" ~Mark 6:50, NCV

Boy, doesn't that verse look familiar? It should, because it's about that one time when Jesus walked on the water. Remember that?

Well, here's a refresher anyways. Jesus had done a miracle, and sent His disciples out to cross the lake without Him. He went up on a mountain alone to pray. (He tended to do that, which is pretty awesome.) It had been a windy, stormy night, so the disciples had been working hard on the boat, and were still in the middle of the lake.

Jesus decided He's just going to take a stroll over the wind and the waves and see what's up with His disciples.

So as He's walking, one of the disciple probably noticed Him and thought he'd gone crazy. Was seeing things. But then another one pointed it out. "Is that a person out there?" And they all, in between shifts of bailing, rowing, and manipulating the ship, saw the same thing.

And when a bunch of tired men get together and work until they can't anymore, they get tired, and assume they're just seeing things. Or maybe it's a ghost. Being the superstitious lot they were, they assumed they were seeing a ghost, and became utterly terrified. "That's what's causing this storm!" "We're gonna die!"

They saw something they couldn't explain, and became terrified. How often do we do that? How often do we find a situation that doesn't make sense and assume we're going to be crushed by it? When things spin out of comfortably in control, don't we freak out like we've seen a ghost?

But Jesus called out to the disciples and told them to stop being sissies and take courage. He was in the storm with them. And truth is, He'll be there with you, in all of the worst of your situations. He can get you out of them, if you take a step of faith towards Him and never let your focus move from Him.

It's just a suggestion.

Day 241: Isaiah 43:5

"Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west." ~Isaiah 43:5, NIV

The title of Isaiah chapter 43 is "Israel's Only Savior". This is because in the verses leading up to and following the one above, God is discussing how He will save Israel. v3 says "I am the Lord your God, the Holy One, your Savior," and v11 claims "apart from me there is no savior."

The only savior of the world is Jesus. The only one who can save you is Jesus. We cannot save ourselves, let alone others, and the only person "good enough" is Jesus, the son of God. In Isaiah, God is talking to His chosen, outcasted people. He had spread them among the nations because they disobeyed Him, but He always offers future hope.

Do not be afraid, I will bring you back together.

Sometimes life explodes in our faces and our pieces metaphorically fly across the continents. We can't go back and put ourselves together. We are the masterpiece, not the master. Yet often times we try to do it anyways. The fact of the matter is only God, only Jesus, only the savior of the world can bring you back together, putting the pieces in place where they belong as they belong.

He's the only one who can make you whole again. My exhortation in all of this is to not be afraid when life gives you a mine and you blow up. God can help you pick up the pieces and make you whole.

Also, in everything, He is with you. You're not alone. God told the Israelites these things as a promise. He fulfilled it to them. He'll fulfill it to you too.

Day 240: Psalm 36:7

"How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings." ~Psalm 36:7, NIV

One of the things about God is that He never changes. The Bible says He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is the same, He wasn't the same - He continues on an incalculable path that never wavers. He is also the source of love, and the spring of which love never fails.

He is love, and His love never fails, never gives up, never runs out. They say the opposite of fear is love. Fear takes away all confidence. Love restores it. Fear saps, love replenishes.

Living in fear is as draining as living without sleep. We as people don't have to remain as metaphorical slaves to fear. Thanks to God and His nature and very self, we too can have love. Like a baby eagle hides in the shadow of his mother's wings, so we can take refuge in the arms of love that Christ spread for us.

Though David the psalmist didn't know it as such, He had hope in Christ as the future. We have hope in Christ as the past. But the truth is that just as He "will be" for David and "was" for us, so He is now.

Unfailing love.

Day 239: Psalm 37:3

"Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture." ~Psalm 37:3, NIV

The crux of the matter is, everything we do is in God's hands. We may do it for the wrong reasons or the right ones, we may follow God or not, but His overarching influence protects other people from your stupidity, and you from theirs as often as not. There is free will, yet at the same time God is in control.

So really, trusting in God essentially is just admitting that you are not in control and believing that He will take every situation and make it into something better in you or the people around you. Believe He is in control, but still do good, because that is obeying Him.

Do good to make the world around you a better place in His name. And when you're not in control, you can just let things happen, and you will dwell in the land that God made with no concern whether or not something out of your control will burst your bubble. Now don't get apathetic, and passively accept events; you are in control of you, just as the neighbor is in control of himself (free will), but realize that your control is limited, and God's is not.

Your control was created so you could do good and make the world a better place. Trusting God gives you peace of mind to do so. Awesome, right?

Day 238: Luke 12:7

"Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." ~Luke 12:7, NIV

In the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) there are a lot of things about Jesus that overlap, and a lot of things that He did that are told but once. However, Jesus' spiel on God taking care of the sparrows is one that is also found in at least Matthew (chapter 10, I believe).

God knows all. Sparrows in that day and age were worth next to nothing - people used to sell three sparrows for two pennies. The third sparrow was free; essentially worth nothing. Yet God cared for and loved that third sparrow - He sees and knows where that sparrow goes and when it falls. The argument was that as God loves the worthless sparrow, how much more does He love you, since even humans agree you have value?

In a demonstration of His all-knowingness, Jesus cites God's knowledge of every hair on your head. Scientists can guess, determine, but never know that. God's understanding of all things and His love for it is basically what makes Him God. And if God is love, then God loves You too.

As God knows and helps the sparrows, so He knows and will help you. Thus we reach the argument, "Don't be afraid," because you are worth so much more to God than sparrows!

Day 237: Numbers 21:34

"The Lord said to Moses, Do not be afraid of him, for I have delivered him into your hands, along with his whole army and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon." ~Numbers 21:34, NIV

God has probably given you a victory in the past. A challenge similar to the one that you're facing that you've overcome. When King Og of Bashan and his entire army went out to meet the Israelites, this was certainly true. They'd already defeated a couple of kings. Armies? No biggie. Except for, you know, the chance of dying.

But the truth is, if God helped you win last time, won't He do it again? And why should you be afraid of Earthly rulers anyways?

And even if God hasn't helped you defeat a king before - whatever that king metaphorically stands for - He's probably done it once for another one of His children. Geez, maybe He did it in the Bible! And if He's done it once, then clearly He can do it again. And since the last thing He wants is for you to live in fear, then He'll probably do it for you, unless you need to learn something.

And even if you do need to learn, remember that part about God loving His children? He's not going to let it break you. And I know I ask this a lot, but what are you afraid of?

Day 236: Psalm 103:11-12

"For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." ~Psalm 103:11-12, NIV

There's a literary element of poetry that David is quite fond of, and that is exaggerated metaphor. Exaggerated because if you've ever read the psalms, it's clear that a lot of things don't quite fit in reality. The wicked don't always win. The righteous don't always win.

The metaphor here describing God isn't so much exaggerating as it is exemplifying our inability to comprehend how much He loves us, how far He's put our sins from us. David was probably writing about Jesus's act on the cross in verse 12, when God has removed our sins from us.

And all of these promises, of God to love us, of God to forgive us, all will come to pass so long as we revere God and obey Him. God's love is unconditional for all mankind, but His gift of free will limits the fulfillment of the promises for those who choose to make it so in their lives.

We can make that choice today. So help us God.

Day 235: Psalm 91:3

"Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence." ~Psalm 91:3, NIV

If you ever need a picker-upper on the intimidation/trust front, I recommend reading the entire Psalm 91. It's one of the ultimate declarations of faith and courage that I've read in the Psalms.

Which is only saying something because I've read through them 7-ish times.

Surely, dear reader, God will save you from deadly traps. Disease? No problem. He can deliver you from that too. Often times when bad things happen to us, we wonder what happened. Is God really good? How can a good God let such bad things happen?

God is the Healer. Without being sick, however, you'll never know Him as such. God is the Deliverer. Without getting trapped, however, you'll never meet Him as such.

Bad things happen because we're sinful and there's an enemy trying to kill you. But God takes those things and uses them to His glory. Surely He will take your trials and help you find the diamonds in your rough.

Day 234: Revelation 1:17

"When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last." ~Revelation 1:17, NIV

We assume that Revelation was written by John the Apostle as a letter to the churches concerning a vision he had of end times. Now it's also famous for being a prime example of apocalyptic literature. Essentially, John was sitting in prison in Patmos (I think...) and an angel came to him and took him up into the spirit realm.

And he saw Jesus in His full glory. Which would explain why John 'fell at His feet as though dead'.

But God had a plan and a purpose for him, and gave him courage. 'Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.' He continues in v18 to say 'I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.'

As often as life is a series of choices, so is it a series of perspectives. When we're afraid, we totally lose perspective. We can get paralyzed by a problem and fall down. The perspective I'm trying to impart today is the one that reminds you the God you serve is the Alpha and Omega. The Jesus you believe in is the First and the Last, the beginning and the end, the Living One who suffered and died for you, but now lives as you can live forever and ever.

He is Lord and Master of all, including death itself.

So don't be afraid. This is the God you serve. And this is the God who loves you, who has a plan and a purpose for your life that surpasses all understanding.

Day 233: Psalm 73:18-19

"Surely you place [the wicked] on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!" ~Psalm 73:18-19, NIV

A common problem for righteous people like Asaph is the unexplained success of the wicked. If God is good and does what is good for His righteous followers, then why is it that so often the bad guys with no morals end up successful, with money, security, and everything they ever wanted? Why doesn't God smite the wicked for their evils and bless the righteous?

Why is it that the best people in life are beaten down by tyrants? Doesn't God see it? Doesn't God act on it? It would seem, in this psalm 73, that no, He doesn't. Wouldn't that then suggest that God is not good?

Actually, it just reflects that God allows all men to have a free will, and to choose whether or not they follow Him. In God, the righteous have confidence and security for all times, but those who don't follow God have no such thing. If that's you, Satan can, at any moment, sweep you away in a wave of terrors. With God, however, you can weather any storm.

You as His child don't need to fear what the wicked have to fear - a lake of fire, the loss of all of your acquired goods, etc. Besides, as v25 proclaims, "Earth has nothing I desire except for God." There's nothing here except for time to get to know God to the extent of your limited human mind.

You're not wicked. You, then, will not fall to their terrors, and better yet, you can pray for them and have God create a clean heart in you to reach out in His love and snatch them from disaster. Which is pretty awesome.

Day 232: Psalm 49:5-6

"Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me - those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?" ~Psalm 49:5-6, NIV

Fear is a natural human response to perceived dangers. It's a gift (or adaptation) that has allowed the species to survive many situations, both social and physical. However, when your focus is on God, and when you're trusting Him instead of physical things which don't last, a lot of things that would have been dangerous are no longer such.

Evil days, for example. When you know God is in control, what bother is it, even? Why should you fear it? What's the absolute worst thing that could happen? What is the absolute best thing that could happen? What really happens is probably something in between, if not on the better side, because God is good and gave us a great imagination that isn't exactly very spot-on realism-wise.

So why are you afraid?

Day 231: Matthew 27:54

"When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"" ~Matthew 27:54, NIV

Jesus' death was monumental. Not because of the claims He made and the astonishing things that happened as He died, but because He didn't stay dead. He came back, whether or not you believe it. In verses 51-53 of the chapter, it describes how the veil in the Temple was ripped in half, how the earth shook, tombs opened, and how dead saints rose to life and went into the city to testify.

If you were a Roman or a Jew in those times, you wouldn't want History to remember these things. The tearing of the veil for example, to a Pharisee or priest who was unwilling to believe in Jesus' self, was a sign of the failure of God. I suspect that to an extent, God left the holy place behind the veil when it tore. And what more hopeless concept is that to a chosen people, than to have your God leave you?

But He didn't leave. The methods through which He manifested Himself merely changed. Instead of being available to only the select few priests and prophets, Jesus gives the Holy Spirit to all who believe and everyone is a priest and/or prophet. Surely the Son of God who gives the Comforter will be with you. If the centurion and his soldiers believed by the cross with the evidence presented to them, can't you?

They were afraid because they didn't know what was going to happen next. You know what happened. You have nothing to be afraid of, because in His death Jesus defeated everything you could be afraid of. Death. Persecution. Mocking. Messing up. You're human, Jesus knows it, and He loves you anyways. No matter what happens, Jesus wins in the end. And so can you. You are His child, after all.

Praise God for that!

Day 230: Haggai 2:4-5

"'But now be strong, Zerubbabel,' declares the Lord. 'Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,' declares the Lord, 'and work. For I am with you,' declares the Lord Almighty.'This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.'" ~ Haggai 2:4-5, NIV

So Haggai was prophesying during Israel's captivity in Babylon to the remnant of Israel in Jerusalem. He was challenging His people to honor Him by rebuilding the temple. "Is it fair that you live in paneled houses while I live in ruins?" God asked in chapter 1. "Is it logical that you exalt yourselves above you God?"

No. No it wasn't logical. God decreed that it was time for Israel to take up the mantle of obedience and for the priests and rulers to live in obedience God's word. God calls leaders out by name in the above verse to do His bidding. "Be strong, Zerubbabel. Be strong, Joshua." And now that You are God's temple, He's calling you out by name to be strong. You and all of the people of His land are to be strong, and obey.

Because He was with Zerubbabel and Joshua, and now He is within you. He promised them by the covenant, and He promises us by Jesus; His Spirit is among us, we have nothing to fear. Not the Babylonians, not the politicians, not the army, nothing.

Do not fear, child of God, but rather obey and live in God's promise and purpose for you.

Day 229: Psalm 115:12-13

"The Lord remembers us and will bless us: He will bless his people Israel, He will bless the house of Aaron, He will bless those who fear the Lord - small and great alike." ~Psalm 115:12-13, NIV

One of the most comforting things about being a Christian and a fact that you should remember regardless of your situation is that you are Never Alone. The Lord remembers you. He's right there. Yeah, it hurts when you can't see Him, it doesn't change the simple fact that God never has and never will forget you.

Not only that, but in His remembrance He will bless you. He will bless His people, He will bless His priestly children, He will bless all who fear Him. No matter who you are, it's written right there - small and great alike.

And what is fearing God if not obeying His commands? And what two commands need we obey more than love the Lord your God and love your neighbor as yourself? None. Though there are commands in the Bible that tell you to not be afraid, if you love God, He will provide peace. Believe that. And then act in faith that it is true, even if you can't feel Him by your side.

You might not be Israel. You might not be of Aaron. But you're of Jesus. And how much more is that?

Day 228: Ecclesiastes 12:13

"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind." ~Ecclesiastes 12:13, NIV

Ecclesiastes is kind of a downer to read. The author (presumably King Solomon in his final days) proclaims throughout the 12 chapters that everything in life is meaningless. Money. Women. Comfort. Everything you could possibly covet in life is absolutely worthless by the standards of a man who had literally everything he could have ever wanted.

It all passes away, so why pursue it in the end? It all gets given to someone who doesn't deserve it, so why create it for them? We say God is in control, but then the wicked take from the righteous and have victory!

But Solomon concedes to one point, and that is God. He is in control, and He lets evil win sometimes. But that doesn't matter, because He's God. And the one thing we can do that gives purpose to life is to follow God. That's what fulfillment means.

And a person who is complete is not afraid. So obey God and give Him glory, find out what the Bible means when it says God is love, and have an awesome life thereafter.

Day 227: Psalm 141:8

"But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death." ~Psalm 141:8, NIV

God, when life is giving me a mess that I can't deal with, help me to remember that it's not about me, it's about You. When I feel alone and like nobody cares or worse, that everyone is laughing at me, remind me that my eyes are fixed on You, and that my life is merely a reflection of who You are.

You are what this is all about, so won't You be my refuge when life is trying to suck the lifeblood out of me? Won't You save me from the throes of social and emotional death? Surely Your love is here, and surely I won't die.

When I forget what life's about, remind me that it's You, not me, that makes life worth living. Teach me how to follow and know you better. Teach me to love You, and to love others so that they may find Your love.

I will keep my focus on You so that everything else fades. I will become less, may You become greater. Amen.

Day 226: Matthew 10:26

"So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known." ~Matthew 10:26, NIV

When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He left the legacy of a rose bush. In time it becomes beautiful, but those thorns go deep and they hurt. In the verses leading up to this one, Jesus describes with painful clarity many of those thorns, saying, "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves".

For context's sake, wolves eat sheep.

Jesus continues describing all of the terrible things that will happen to His people. And while we don't really see people getting flogged in local synagogues anymore. We hear about families destroying converts, and we feel the effect of everyone hating Christ. But despite that, Jesus left us hope.

Don't be afraid of them.

Jesus died for our sins, and He died for their sins too. Just because we've accepted it and they haven't, we are going to suffer. But we have hope in a life everlasting. All they have is the fiery lake.

Don't be afraid of them. If they kill you, so what? You get to be with Jesus. If they taunt you and flaunt at you, so what? For you, it's just an opportunity to show God's glory and share the good news. So don't be afraid. Choose the perspective that will best help you see things for what they are - spiritual battles.

Day 225: Nahum 1:7

"The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him." ~Nahum 1:7, NIV

If there's one assumption you should live your life by, it's the fact that God is good all the time. Even when He's calling down fire from Heaven to consume your home, like the Ninevites might have thought when Nahum proclaimed judgement on them. The thing about goodness is that it doesn't mix with un-goodness.

In doctrinal terms, that's holiness meshing with sin. It's impossible.

This explains why God basically destroys all that is sinful under the Old Covenant. The only way to purge unrighteouesness in those times seemed to be downright destruction. But even then, God was good. He was a refuge for those who believed in Him, He took care of those who trusted Him to do so.

If God did that under the Old Covenant, where death was literally the end, how much more will He do it under the New Covenant - where Jesus has literally destroyed the end for those who trust Him?

How much more can God do for us now that we've got a New Covenant to act under? It's probably about as impossible as sin mixing with holiness, but mightn't God be able to be more good now?

Day 224: Isaiah 54:14

"In righteousness you will be established: Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you." ~Isaiah 54:14, NIV

This chapter of Isaiah is all about the future of God's people. Like many of the prophetic books in the Bible, one minute God is calling down fire and brimstone, the next, He's promising milk and honey. It's hard to reconcile those two voices, sometimes.

I mean, it's not hard to understand God's standard of righteousness. With a lot of persistence, read through the Pentateuch. Being righteous back in the day was obeying every single law written in those five books, and God warned the Israelites that if they stopped obeying Him, the consequences would follow. We know that they messed up big time, and really failed to seek after God and receive His blessings.

It makes sense then, that God would stay true to His word and bring about the promised spanking. He gave the Israelites hundreds of years to turn back on their decision, but nope. They talked back. They definitely earned their discipline.

But like any loving Father, the wrath doesn't last. He still wants to give His children good gifts. And one of them is a peace established by God's kind of righteousness.

When people obey God and live by His standard as described by Jesus, tyranny doesn't exist, and fear is cast as far as the East is from the West. Because, to an extent, that's what Jesus did on the cross. He brought an end to the fear of death.

Terror is as far from you as the nails in Jesus' hands. Which is essentially as far as you let them be. And the distance possible is immeasurable.

Day 223: 2 Samuel 22:2

"He said: The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;" ~2 Samuel 22:2, NIV

This passage from 2 Samuel may sound familiar. Because essentially, it's just a psalm pasted into another book of the Bible. A piece of praise for a miracle described earlier in the book. So instead of needing the background knowledge from another book, you just have to flip back a couple chapters to see why David is cheering for God.

And in this case, it's because God saved him from a raving madman who'd lost God's favor, on top of all of the other enemies of Israel.

This verse starts off the whole psalm with the declaration that God is a foundation upon which security is built. And as this psalm begins, so can our day - if we began everyday proclaiming what we know to be true, that God is the foundation of our day.

And then we can choose what we build upon that rock with the actions of our day.

Day 222: Matthew 14:27

"But Jesus was quick to comfort them. "Courage, it's me. Don't be afraid."" ~Matthew 14:27, MSG

Back before cell-service and FourSquare, the disciples were out chillin' on their boat, going from one side of lake Galilee to the other. It's not too nice out, the waves aren't the friendliest, and they've left Jesus on the shore. After a full night of working against the wind and the waves, they're still in the middle of the lake as dawn comes.

And what should dawn reveal except for a strange figure walking over the water?

If you were there, you'd have probably agreed with the disciple's assessment of the situation - "there's a ghost walking towards us, there's no way we can get to shore and we are probably doomed.

"Hope Jesus isn't too worried about us. It's just a shame we never got to see Him be king of Israel."

'Course you probably know what I do, and that ghost was actually Jesus. Ordinary Jesus, just strollin' across the water as dawn breaks. Defying the laws of nature and logic, He's just doing what He does best - being God - and leaving us with a little piece of truth.

When God is strollin' down your lane, making the impossible possible, you don't have to be afraid of Him or what He's doing. It's Jesus. That friend you've made, telling you to be courageous. Telling you to not be afraid.

And the rest of the story goes to show Peter following in Jesus' footsteps. And then Jesus stopped the storm. Not bad for a night's work, eh? And it's something we can easily emulate, following God no matter what kind of waves we encounter, despite our doubt - He won't let you drown.

So take courage. Don't be afraid. He's got it.

Day 221: Isaiah 4:6

"It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain." ~Isaiah 4:6, NIV

Judgement. Laments. Mourning.

That's a three-word summary of Isaiah 3, and 4:1. Israel messes up, and God gives them what they've earned. It's pretty cataclysmic. I mean, it's as if the movie 2012 actually happened except people weren't all dying.

And then in v2 Isaiah introduces some hope: the Branch of the Lord. Regardless of how you interpret this branch, (is it a person? Is it a place? Is it a thing? Is it the cumulative effort of God's people? Isn't it just God, or at least His arm?) that is the "It" in the above sentence. This branch will be hope for a suffering people. If you interpret it as Jesus, then it IS the hope of all people.

It's a shelter from the metaphoric Sun and it's death rays. It's a hiding place from the evil going on. And it's a refuge from the metaphorical storms and rain of death.

I might be exaggerating, but the hope this branch provides is not. And you can have it, because if we interpret the branch as Jesus, then He's already here and waiting to be your hope, refuge, and shelter.

Pretty awesome, if you ask me. And while you didn't, now you know.

Day 220: Deuteronomy 1:17

"Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it." ~Deuteronomy 1:17, NIV

So in Deuteronomy, God is giving the judges that He appointed to help Moses some instruction. The first part of this verse is important, that's for sure, but I can't find any relevance to living without fear - unless of course it's a suggestion to listen to people before judging them, making a mistake, and being afraid of your neighbor because he owns a gun.


The next section, however, is a lot more direct. Do not be afraid of anyone. Well that's a simple enough command, although it's interesting that this thought is validated by God's judgement. I assume it means that your social status and place in the hierarchy belongs to God, so judging fairly, even if it's not popular, will get you kudos with God. Which is the important part, isn't it?


Because, after all, He's the one you're spending eternity with...

Day 219: Psalm 49:12-13

"People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish. This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve of their sayings." ~Psalm 49:12-13, NIV

These verses describe our opposite - those who don't trust in God like we do, who don't actively believe that Jesus' death is enough to save us. Like everyone, we die. Our bodies are going to fail one day, and as far as I understand, on that day our spirits will awaken. For those who trusted God? We'll endure in glory.

For those who trusted themselves? Their possessions? Luck? Their good deeds? They'll wither in agony.

That doesn't have to be you. Jesus says that He is the way, the truth, and the light. There's no one else who can give you what Jesus can, and that is peace. That is confidence. That is assurance.

And you don't have to believe me, but that's the truth - granted, it's tainted by my interpretation, but you can find an untainted version here.

Day 218: Psalm 52:8

"But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever."~Psalm 52:8, NIV

Life in God's purpose is an incredibly fulfilling life - and like David says, God's people flourish in the fullness of His light. This is the life God has called us to, one where God provides for our every needs, and will result in us living like flourishing olive trees, producing fruit, shade, and strong boughs.

God's unfailing love ensures that His will is for us to flourish, so living in His will means we will find that state of life. Because of this unfailing love, we can trust - know - that everything He does in our life is for good, and everything He allows us to undergo is also, as Romans 8:28 puts it, for good.

Day 217: John 3:16

"God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life." ~John 3:16, NCV

This is the verse of Christian propaganda. I doubt you will find someone who claims to be a christian and doesn't know this verse. Even non-christians know this verse, it's so prevalent! It's really easy to skim over what we already know, or to cast aside the unimportant verse we know by heart.

But what this verse basically says is that regardless of who we are, what we've done, or what we're afraid of, God a) loves us, and b) saved us from it, with only one criteria from this verse, and that is belief in His son.

Day 216: 2 Corinthians 7:5-6

"When we came into Macedonia, we had no rest. We found trouble all around us. We had fighting on the outside and fear on the inside. But God, who comforts those who are troubled, comforted us when Titus came." ~2 Corinthians 7:5-6, NCV

This is what's easy to call a Bible testimony. Paul may have been an apostle blessed by God, but that's just all the more reason for the Devil to attack him. Because the enemy focuses on those who are living in truth to try and break them down the hardest so that the Heavenly benefits are not reaped. So as we can see, even this apostle struggled with fear on the inside!

Now some people would say that Titus comforted Paul and his partner, but Paul himself describes it as God comforting them. Therefore, it is clear that God uses people as comfort and truth as well as the Bible.

So even if your pastor isn't telling the truth when he tells you to "fear not" 365 times, the point should be made. God's using the pastor to encourage His people! And best of all, perhaps, He can use you too.

Day 215: 2 Samuel 22:7

"In my distress I called to the Lord; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears." ~2 Samuel 22:7, NIV

This entire chapter is basically a psalm - David's song of praise as described by the author of 2 Samuel. It says in v1 that he wrote the song when God delivered him from Saul and other enemies. The whole song is an awesome testimony of God's delivering graces.

This verse especially, though, describes what we as terrified people should be doing. Pray. Talk to God. Call out. He's listening, He hears you, and knows what you're going through and what you need to grow. He will help you. He knows your name, and weeps for your agonies with you.

Your time of distress is the perfect time to get to know your God better.

Day 214: Psalm 25:20

"Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you." ~Psalm 25:20, NIV

In Psalm 25, David is praising God - describing the upright and the deceitful, and asking for reprieve from his enemies. After a particularly anguished plea, he gives us this verse, this prayer to pray.

David knew that his life was a reflection of the God he served, and he loved his God. If you love someone, you don't want to tarnish their name. So he prayed that his life would do no such thing.

What's your life doing? Is there something you need to change? A prayer you need to pray?