It is the LORD your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear.
Deuteronomy 6:13, ESV
Fear is often a driving force in people’s decision-making. It causes people to do things contrary to what is known to be the correct or most God-honoring. It takes away hope and causes people to not trust in the promises of God, but more often in their own “rational” thinking. The reality is that there is no ability to think rationally when our mind is in the fight or flight response that fear can create unless we are focused on the one awesome being whose disapproval we should most fear: our Lord God. When our minds are focused on doing that which pleases Him and Him alone, and our eyes are focused on being His light in the world, fear has less power. Like Peter on the water walking out to Jesus, it wasn’t until he became distracted by the wind and his focus was taken away from Jesus that he started to sink. If we allow the world's turmoil to guide our thoughts and decisions, we will inevitably fall into things that will lead us away from Christ, our Lord, and into the dark paths of despair. In our lives, there is only one to whom we should swear our full allegiance and our life, and that is our Lord God, and He will bring us into His eternal grace and care.
Let us pray. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you to protect me this day also from sin and every evil, that in all I do today, I may please you. For into your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel watch over me, that the wicked foe have no power over me. Amen.