The word fear by its very sound and connotation evokes images and thoughts in each and every one of our minds. And it is a topic that keeps on coming up in conversation. And why wouldn’t it? 

Fear is a prevalent topic especially when one considers the nightly news reports of ISIS in Iraq  and Syria. It becomes even clearer when one considers the state of affairs between Ukraine and Russia. Then add to it the bombings and murders in other areas or stories. Sprinkle on top of it the conflict between Israel and Hamas and fear becomes even more alive. And then finally add on local stories such as Robin Williams and then it seems that there is no where we can turn for any form of good news. And as we look around us our collective hearts can just ache. 

So then how do we process this world that seems so war torn, despondent, and shrouded in fear? And I think we could point to many things. We can always remember that ultimately we are living in the modern age where we hear stories instantaneously and from thousands of miles away. And so, news that at one point in time would have never hit our radar, is suddenly in our headlines. 

We can also remember that God always puts all [sinful] things in their boundaries and never lets them overtake the whole world. But ultimately those answers may give a little bit of perspective but they don’t give us much hope. And the problem with fear is that it robs us of hope. From the 
folks dealing with ISIS to Robin Williams dealing with his depression, hope seems to be a far away concept in many and various ways. 

And this is why the only answer to many of these difficult issues is the one who comes upon the scene from the moment of His resurrection and says, “Fear not. My peace I give you.” Christ came, died, and rose so that we, in the midst of all the human fear and despondency, would have his peace and hope. 

There’s no small reason He came. It wasn’t to deal with some floating concept of sin. It was because we really are surrounded by great fears, great sins, and great brokenness. And each of these things that we see that cause so much fear or consternation remind us in big neon letters that it was because of these things Christ had to come. Sin is big; hence, our Savior had to be bigger. 

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, take heart when we look at the broken and fearful things of this world. For they remind us all the more of the need of our Savior and the eternal hope and comfort and peace that rests in Him. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.