Day 6: Drawing Closer to God (Fear No More)

A few days ago I had to make a phone call that had me feeling a little anxiety. An older member of my flock as a deacon at my church was in her last days I was told via email. In the email, was the phone number for the daughter of this dying lady. So, rather than making a trip out to the facility she and her husband have been living in, I decided it was best to call the daughter since it had been a couple days since receiving the email and I had not been in a situation to be able to reach out to them. I have never been big on calling people that I do not know, let alone calling someone under such circumstances but I shared my anxiety with my hubbie and God worked through his encouraging words to help me let go of my anxiety and just do what God wanted me to do. I made the call and was sad to hear that she had indeed passed away a day after I got the email. I attended her memorial service today and found I had no more fear. I just felt conviction to be there and offer some loving words. I met the daughter and could tell how fraught she was in her grief. I boldly asked her if she was a believer and she said she was working on it; that she had turned away. I told her that I would pray that her heart would be opened to receiving the comfort and peace that only God can give her. I went on over to the husband and prayed he too would have comfort and peace. I walked away from this service thinking how much God had helped me with the loving words and touch I gave these people. I let God use me as his tool. My fearful nature is still there but I have come more and more to rely on God to help me overcome when those moments creep in. I can see a time when I will fear no more thanks be to God.
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 30

Our sermon series at church for Advent has been on Isaiah 9:6 A child will be born to us, he will rule over us. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. Our former senior pastor John Stevens gave the sermon about the fourth name in this scripture: Prince of Peace. He made it clear that Jesus is the only way to get the peace that our hearts desire. We often will resort to our human condition and try to find peace in other ways but true peace can only be achieved with Jesus in our hearts. As I prepared to write up something this morning, I was watching Fox News channel and heard what happened to Father Jonathan Morris who is a regular on Fox News. He had gone to visit an 80 year old man who was dying just the day before. As had become a tradition for him, on the way out he asked the nurses if there was anyone who had no family or friends, nobody visiting. The nurses were hesitant but with his request they took him to see another man aged 45 dying of some horrible disease. The second he entered the room that man became very agitated. The nurses urged him to just leave but he took a step closer and the man got really angry. Instead of giving up, he took a step closer and the man got even angrier. He prayed to Jesus for help and ended up on his knees with his hands put together in prayer. Immediately, the man calmed down and repeated the words Father Morris had said, “Jesus knows me and loves me”.  The man was filled with peace and ended up praying a prayer the Father was amazed by. That is the power of the love of Jesus. When all else had failed to give comfort and peace to this dying man, the Prince of Peace showed himself in Father Morris in the simple act of being on his knees with his hands in prayer. The love of Jesus brings peace and so much more. May you find his love for you and realize that he knows you, knows what you are going through and loves you with an unfathomable love.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.