Advent Devotional Day 20
“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7
Before I gave my life to Jesus, I was a pretty fearful gal. I was afraid of every misstep, afraid of the future, afraid of not being enough … even paralyzed in my decision making. Trust was something I struggled with.
Imagine the freedom I felt for the first time when I placed my trust in Jesus! He found me even before I sought Him, just waiting for me. Psalm 34:4 says, “I sought the Lord and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears…” 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and a sound mind.” Those fears that once captivated my imagination were laid to rest, as I began to take God at His Word and believe His promises.
I can imagine Mary as a teen with lots of unknowns as she carried the Lord Jesus in her womb. But she chose to take God at His Word! His angel told her that she’d find her “barren” cousin Elizabeth in her sixth month of pregnancy with John. And she did! Elizabeth, upon seeing Mary, felt pre-born John leap for joy in her womb at the presence of her pre-born Savior in Mary’s womb, and proclaimed, “Blessed are you because you BELIEVED that there would be a fulfillment of what the Lord had spoken.” Luke 1:45
Doesn’t that hold true for all of us Christians? If we “carry” Jesus, we also carry the trust in His promises to us! We carry the very thing that makes our faces radiant, and we are not ashamed. We are “pregnant” with the promises of God!
Dear Lord, thank You for Your Son, Jesus. Thank You for all the promises that have come to pass. You are trustworthy. Despite all our imperfections, and the fears that we have, thank You for leaving Your throne in Heaven to come and dwell with us. Forgive us Lord when we are paralyzed and fearful, trying to make decisions not wanting to alter Your will or Your perfect plan. Thank You for reminding us that we are not that powerful, that nothing has the power to change Your will. To You be all the praise and glory due Your Name. Amen. ~Roxy Fretz