fear, day 3

Come to Stillness: Take a few minutes to allow your mind and heart to be still before God.

Opening Prayer:
O Lord our God, help us to live our lives with the faith and courage necessary to live by love and not by fear. Forgive me when my seeing and my thinking get so distorted that I allow fear to control me and make me its slave—even when I don’t fully realize it. Seize my heart and soul with your perfect love in such a way that it drives out all fear and gives me the freedom to truly love, rather than manipulate, those in my life and world. In the name of Jesus. Amen. (JLB)


Psalm for the Week: Psalm 27

Scripture for the Day: Genesis 3:6-10

Reading for Reflection:

Fear is the great enemy of intimacy.  Fear makes us run away from each other or cling to each other but does not create true intimacy.  When Jesus was arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, the disciples were overcome by fear and they all "deserted him and ran away" (Mt. 26:56).  And after Jesus was crucified they huddled together in a closed room "for fear of the Jews" (John. 20:19).  Fear makes us move away from each other to a "safe" distance, or move toward each other to a "safe" closeness, but fear does not create the space where true intimacy can exist.  Fear does not create a home.  It forces us to live alone or in a protective shelter but does not allow us to build an intimate home. (Lifesigns by Henri J.M. Nouwen)

Reflection and Listening: silent and written

Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself

Song for the Week: Isaiah 43

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you

And the waves shall not overcome you

Do not fear for I have redeemed you

I have called you by name, you are mine

For I am the Lord your God (Ladies repeat)

I am the Lord your God (Ladies repeat)

I am the Holy One of Israel—your Savior

Men                                Ladies

I am the Lord                Do not fear

I am the Lord               Do not fear

I am the Lord               Do not fear

I am the Lord               Do not fear

When you walk through the fire, you’ll not be burned

And the flames, they shall not consume you

Do not fear for I have for I have redeemed you

I have called you by name, you are mine


Closing Prayer:
Lord Jesus,
     Help me to hear your words, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” and to believe them in the deepest places of my heart. Help me to live my life by those words this day. For your sake and by your Spirit and in your name. Amen. (JLB)