Read: Luke 13:33-35
Fear Not for I Am with You
Luke 13:31-35 begins with a warning from the Pharisees for Jesus about Herod’s plan to kill him. The course has been set; there is no turning back, even though the news about Herod’s threat upon Jesus’ life is ominous, nevertheless, Jesus continues on his mission.
Today, people are facing a time of uncertainty with anxiety and fear permeating the whole community. It is difficult to evaluate the motives of some of the current executive policies whether or not these warnings are either sincere or representative of a real threat, they seem problematic. There are hints, however, of hard times ahead. We thus cannot dismiss the motives as necessarily “business as usual” or it would never affect me, how about our neighbors, our friends, classmates, coworkers, our children schoolmates, our babysitters, those struggling parents etc. Whatever the purposes are, Who knows? Perhaps Jesus Christ prepared us for just such a time as this. This is the time to go down on our knees and intercede through our prayers for those vulnerable in our communities. “I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking to me about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers.” (Isaiah 64:24)
In situations that are far beyond our control, let us remember the words our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; “come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest - Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, and I will uphold you with my righteous right hand until these calamities pass by.” These are God’s promises for us.
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the most high will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, you are my refuge and my fortress, in you I put my trust. I will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday, God’s goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Amen
Dipo Ogunrinde