So many kids, it seems, are afraid of the dark. They are worried or scared that monsters may be there to “get them.” I remember those days, and I’m still uncomfortable in the dark, but I’m not afraid of it. I am afraid of heights, which some people say is just foolish, since I want to jump out of airplanes (but that’s a whole different story).
As an adult, are there any things YOU are still afraid of?
In Genesis, we can read about a day when Adam and Eve were afraid of God:
“And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him ‘Where are you? So he said, ‘I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid.’” Genesis 3:8-10
If we read the Scriptures prior to this passage, we discover the reason that they were afraid: Adam and Eve had disobeyed the Lord and eaten from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Have you ever disobeyed the Lord? Have you ever disobeyed your parents? Did you hide, or at least dread seeing them after you went against their wishes?
All of us, have at some point or another, disobeyed a rule, command, or the Will of the Lord. It seems almost inevitable for us as humans to be 100% perfect all the time.
However, the good news is that God is a forgiving God. He knows we’re not perfect and He is willing to forgive us of our sins. That’s why He sent Jesus Christ to die for us. He knew we could never qualify for entry to Heaven on our own. But God, out of His divine knowledge and preparation, sent Jesus to earth to reconcile us and show us mercy and grace.
Nothing we can do on our own makes us worthy of the reward of eternal life in Heaven. However, there is something we can do to make us acceptable to God and the reward that awaits us. And that one thing is to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior. We can invite Him into our hearts and life and allow Him to be Lord of our life. Being Lord of our life means that we will depend on Him for guidance in what we do, and seek out what we can do to honor and glorify Him by spreading the Good News and doing His work in our churches, as missionaries, and as lay persons throughout the world.
Don’t be afraid anymore! Accept Jesus as your Heavenly Father and allow His love for you to cover all your mistakes, and let Him forgive you of all your sins (past, present, and future).
