Devotional: Fear Him

Matthew 10:25-31

“Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28, NASB).

Fear is a normal human emotion. Fear helps us when we sense danger and take actions to avoid harm. In the New Testament the Greek word “phobeo” means to reverence someone. It is used passively to indicate that one becomes fearful of something or someone.

Many Americans live in fear today. They are concerned about money, war, murder, and death. All of these things have to do with our personal well-being and the welfare of our community. President Trump has aroused a lot of fear in a lot of people because of his policies, both national and international. Many people fear that his words are exciting racism, divisiveness, and hatred.

Each of us can think of fears that we have experienced in our life. Many people fear the bully in their school, on their jobs, and in their social circles. Possibly, one of the greatest dangers of fear is that it causes us to give another person power over us; sort of a reverence for that person. We may become susceptible to making unwise choices as our decision making may be based on fear more than on principles.

In the text today, Jesus sends His twelve disciples on a mission (10:1). He gives them instructions that include warnings of the dangers that they will face. He tells them that they will face obstacles just as they have seen him do (v. 24). He exhorts them not to allow fear to keep them from caring out the mission that He is giving them to do. They are not to fear the enemy. They are not to give the enemy a place in their life higher than the place that Jesus occupies. The enemy, for sure, is able to kill the body. However, there is One “who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” God is to be reverenced above all others, because God alone will determine where we will spend eternity.

Prayer: Father, we reverence you, and we thank you for the opportunity to serve You in dangerous situations. Let us not fear others, but reverence You only. Amen.