So that should take away the fear in our Bible verse: Thinking about the great God. If we get to know our God more, deeper and better, this will have a huge impact – also on our fear. Daniel writes: ”The people that knows His God shall act strong“ (Dan 11:32). And indeed, living in the awareness of how great and wonderful He is can chase away our fears.
“Shall your worries vanish? – and your fears sink? Then go, throw yourself into the deepest ocean of God; lose yourself in its immensity; and you will find yourself again as if after a short rest, refreshed and strengthened. I know of nothing that is so good for the soul, that so calms the high waves of sorrow and suffering, that so soothes the storms of trials, as faithful contemplation of the divine. That is what I invite you to do today.” (C.H. Spurgeon)
Paul knew his Lord so well that he could say: “And my God shall supply all your need” (Phil 4:19). Not “Our God” in general, which would, of course, have been just as correct, but “my God.” The God with whom I have a very intimate, personal relationship. That speaks of intimacy, closeness, and connectedness. He could have talked for hours if someone had asked: “Paul, who is your God, and what is the Lord Jesus to you personally?” True to the motto: “What a friend we have in Jesus…..”
Let us think a little about how great our Lord is. Then, when fear lurks again, we can do what Nehemiah called out to the people: „Remember the Lord, great and awesome!“
Just some of the titles of God that we find in the Bible impress us. God is the…
- God of love (2 Cor 13:11) – in contrast to my possible fear that the Lord had forgotten me
- God of peace (Romans 15:33) – in contrast to my possible fear that the unrest in my life and heart would never go away
- God of all comfort (2 Cor 1:3) – in contrast to my possible fear that I would have to deal with my problem alone
- God of faithfulness (Deut 32:4) – in contrast to my possible fear that the Lord would abandon me
- God of perseverance and encouragement (Romans 15:5) – in contrast to my possible fear that no one would encourage me
- God of hope (Romans 15:13) – in contrast to my possible fear that there is no light at the end of the tunnel
- God of sight (Gen 16:13; see devotion 23) – in contrast to my possible fear that God would not see me and my problem
- God of knowledge (Gen 2:3) – in contrast to my possible fear that the problem had not only surprised and embarrassed me but also God
- God of the ages (Deut 33:27) – in contrast to my possible fear that God and his promises are just as changeable as everything else in this world
- God of all grace (1 Pet. 5:10) – in contrast to my possible fear that I would have to earn God’s help.
“I have a great need for Christ. I have a great Christ for my need.” (C.H. Spurgeon)
Reflecting on God’s greatness—that’s exactly what Asaph did. In Psalm 77, we see him as downcast at first but completely doubtful at the end. In this quagmire, he is only revolving around himself; the ground beneath his feet seems to have been torn away. It felt to him as if God had forgotten and given up on him. Asaph calls it “my anguish” (Ps 77, 11)—a situation that we can find ourselves in as believers.
But then the big turning point. He writes: “But I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High. I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all Your work and talk of Your deeds. Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary; who is so great a God as our God?” (Ps 77:10-13). This new focus on God breaks through his destructive spiral of thoughts and fills him with hope. He did what a brother once advised: “More important than anything else is that your soul rejoices in the Lord.”
When we learn how great our God is, we realize: For a great God, there are no big problems. Wonderful! This focus can change everything!
The Lord Jesus tells you today: “Don’t be afraid! Never forget how great I am. If you always keep that in mind, the things that scare you will automatically become smaller! Always contrast your problems with my greatness!
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