-October 2, 2020-
Good morning, happy Friday,
-Don’t Fear Man But Trust In The Lord For Safety-
“The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.”
(Proverbs 29:25).
This two part verse is both a warning and a promise. It a stark contrast between fearing man and trusting in God. Fear is a very real, raw emotion that we should never downplay. We are all subject to fear. The best antidote for fear is the vaccine of faith, hope, and love.
• The fear of man brings a snare – The warning to every child of God is not to fear man, it only brings a snare. A snare is a trap that grabs us and suffocates us. The devil is behind all this fear and wants to frighten us, intimidate us, and discourage us. The fear of man didn’t stop our Savior when He was on earth. Also, after the day of Pentecost, Peter, John, and the other disciples showed tremendous courage despite opposition, persecution, beatings, and imprisonment, they continued to preach the gospel. Paul did the same thing.
What can man do us? They can reject our Christ, mock us, and the worst thing can do to us is to kill us. Despite this, they can’t harm our souls or affect our relationship with the Lord. John wrote in 1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” God’s love is way more powerful than our fear.
• But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe – Instead of fearing man, we should trust in God for safety. When we fear the worst, God brings us the best. We are in the midst of a devastating pandemic. So many have gotten sick and many have died. It is easy to be fearful. And as result of the coronavirus, many have lost their jobs. What are we to do? The same thing we always do: trust in the Lord. He is our refuge and our help. Instead of worrying about what may happen to us, let us cling to the Lord and thank Him for what He has done for us. If you are reading this devotion, you are still alive. God is still with you, and you have another day. The Lord has seen you through to this point.
The New Living Translation of today’s verse says, “Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.” Just last night we learned that both President Donald Trump and the First Lady Melania have both contracted COVID-19. Let us pray for their speedy and full recovery. We may fear the worst but let us pray for the best.
Let us remember the words found in Jeremiah 17:7, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is in the Lord.” Our hope in Christ cannot be dimmed or extinguished by internal fears or external difficulties. May we not fear man but trust God.
Have a blessed day trusting in the Lord no matter what the outward circumstances may be. Stay safe and healthy.
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 