Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.
(The following prayer is not my writing,
but it is a prayer that I needed today!)
you know that
I need to hear you
say this over and over
during my day.
For, as I have told
you many times,
I am often afraid.
I am afraid in so many ways--
of failure, of illness,
of looking foolish
in front of others,
of others who wish me harm,
of losing my security,
my job, my loved ones,
my stuff, my life.
I know I shouldn't be afraid,
but, Jesus, look around!
"Do not be afraid."
How often I hear
those words coming to me
from the pages of Scripture.
And yet as I hear
your words today,
I hear them not just
as words of comfort.
I hear a command:
"DO NOT LET YOUR HEART BE
TROUBLED OR AFRAID!
And I realize that
if I am truly
to be your disciple,
I must have faith
that you have truly
conquered sin and death,
and that only fear
stands between me
and the life you offer me.
Jesus, may your Spirit
give me courage
as I move through the fear
of dying to myself and
rising to new life in you.
I need to hear you
say this over and over
during my day.
For, as I have told
you many times,
I am often afraid.
I am afraid in so many ways--
of failure, of illness,
of looking foolish
in front of others,
of others who wish me harm,
of losing my security,
my job, my loved ones,
my stuff, my life.
I know I shouldn't be afraid,
but, Jesus, look around!
"Do not be afraid."
How often I hear
those words coming to me
from the pages of Scripture.
And yet as I hear
your words today,
I hear them not just
as words of comfort.
I hear a command:
"DO NOT LET YOUR HEART BE
TROUBLED OR AFRAID!
And I realize that
if I am truly
to be your disciple,
I must have faith
that you have truly
conquered sin and death,
and that only fear
stands between me
and the life you offer me.
Jesus, may your Spirit
give me courage
as I move through the fear
of dying to myself and
rising to new life in you.
Plant the peace you
give me deep in my heart,
so that it will remind me always
that you will never let me go.
Amen.
give me deep in my heart,
so that it will remind me always
that you will never let me go.
Amen.
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