Do Not be Afraid – April 1, 2018

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
Matthew 28:8

Do Not be Afraid


Daily Devotion – April 1, 2018

Devotion based on Matthew 28:8

See series: Devotions

“What will Jesus think?!” Is that the thought that was going through the heads of the women? After all, they had brought burial spices! They were planning to bury him, even though he had said to them that he was going to rise from the dead. And, by the way, he had said it enough times and publicly so that even his enemies knew about his promised resurrection! And what had the women done?

They’d failed (refused?) to listen! Can we understand why they hurried away “afraid”? I can understand because I’ve failed to listen too! I’ve failed (refused?) to listen to what my Savior says to me about … life, about death, about forgiveness, about salvation, about how to treat my spouse, kids, parents, neighbors, etc., etc. I can empathize with these women! My sins have brought fear to me too!

So it’s really important for us to see how Jesus treated his fear-filled followers: Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me” (Matthew 28:9-10). Wow! Such love! Such assurance! No words of condemnation. Not even a teasing, “Hey what were you planning to do with those spices?”

No. Instead, it’s wonderful good news! “Do not be afraid!” Why do they not need to be afraid? Why do they not EVER need to be afraid? Because they have a Savior who had risen from the dead! They have a Savior who has won forgiveness for them!

Indeed, they never needed to be afraid again because they have a Savior who loves them dearly! THAT’S how Jesus felt about them.

And that’s how he feels about you too.

Prayer:
Risen Savior! Drive my fears away, by assuring me that you, the risen Savior, love me dearly! In your name I pray. Amen.

This devotion was selected from the Daily Devotion archive.

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