Have you ever been afraid? Whether it’s over medical issues, family concerns, financial woes, or any of the other anxieties that trouble us – I think we all know what it means to be afraid, really scared! We’re in very good company on that! In Luke 1:29, “Mary was deeply troubled by the angel’s message.” Picture yourself as Mary, a sweet young girl, seated alone, when suddenly an angel appears right there before you! The angel speaks! To say she was deeply troubled by these words is probably an understatement. Life as she knew it was coming to a very abrupt halt; something extraordinary was about to happen. How, why, when, where? Her mind must have been full of questions. The angel’s response, “Do not be afraid, Mary.”

In Luke 2:9, “The shepherds were terribly afraid.” Picture yourself as a shepherd on the hillsides of Galilee. You’ve been out with the sheep day and night. You’re tired. You’re probably trying to grab a little sleep. And then – an angel appears! The light is overwhelming! You’re shaking in your sandals. What’s this all about? Why us? Why tonight? And the angel’s response, “Do not be afraid.”

I’m sure the angel of the Lord sends the same message to us in our moments of fear and anxiety. But do we hear him? Josh Groban and other Gospel singers sing a favorite song that concludes with the verse :

You are mine, O my child; I am your father

And I love you with a perfect love.

Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you

I have called you by your name, You are Mine.

You may recognize those closing lines, favorites from Isaiah 43:1. The thought that my Lord “calls me by my name” makes Him seem much closer and more personal to me, someone who really could and would calm my fears.

Remember — the same God who loved Mary, the same God who loved the shepherds– is the same God who loves YOU. He calls YOU by your name. He loves YOU unconditionally.

Judy

Today’s Reading: Luke 1:26-38 – the story of Mary’s encounter with the angel of the Lord.  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+1%3A26-38