"Not Afraid"

The days stop growing,

The shadows lengthen,

But I am not home yet.

The breezes blowing,

My hopes strengthen,

For what’s beyond the sunset.

We run and spend,

As if the end,

Will never come our way.

But yes, my friend,

It did begin,

From our birthing day.

The end’s approaching,

We stop and gather,

Memories held like flowers.

But death’s encroaching,

The things that matter,

Give us this day’s power.

We go and come,

And beat the drum,

Of what we call our life.

But God will say,

What things hold sway,

His Word cuts like a knife.

Are we afraid,

We should not be,

For God grants us His peace.

He came and stayed,

To make us free,

And from all fear release.

“Only in this way could He set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying…” (Heb. 2:15, NLT)

People say they are not afraid to die but they lie. It is amazing the lengths that people will go to prolong their lives in the face of danger and death. Never doubt it. Maybe they would never admit to the emotion of fear, but everything they do points to it. That’s not being judgmental, mind you. Only observant. Can’t blame people for this, can we? I want to go to heaven but not today! The point is whether or not we have made peace with the reality of death. If so, it frees us to live more abundantly, as God intends. Fear is a deterrent to the life God has planned for us. And every fear, including the fear of death, is something Jesus died to relieve. On this Father’s Day may we remember that our Heavenly Father has gone to great lengths to give us what we need, both here and hereafter.

Lord, free us from every fear, including the fear of death, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Kirstie Lamber, used by permission. Thanks, Kirstie, and God bless you.