(December 15, 2024) Robert and Maureen McQuillan encourage…

Believe it or not, 2024 is drawing to a close… yes, it will soon be Christmas, then New Year’s Eve and 2025 will be here!

We have a question for our readers (for ourselves too) based on the biblical Christmas story. But let’s start this way…

Fear
The most repeated command in the Bible is ‘Fear not!’ In fact, it’s been said that there are 365 ‘Fear nots’ in the Bible — one for every day of the year! In Facing the Future, author Lloyd Ogilvie even said that there are 366, one for every day of the year, including Leap Year! (Reference: SoulShepherding author Bill Gaultiere).

In reading the above, no doubt several such scriptures come to your mind. Here’s nine from the gospels alone— Matthew 10:31, 14:27, 17:7, Mark 5:36, 6:50, Luke 5:10, 8:50, 14:27 and John 6:20… all comforting words of Jesus. We like the CJV (Complete Jewish Bible) version of this last scripture— ‘Stop being afraid…’

Oh we know… certain situations come about, sometimes out-of-the-proverbial-blue and can throw us! Like years ago I (Robert) was counselling a certain mixed-up person, had turned to the left for a moment and in turning back was aware of a knife at my throat! Or yesterday afternoon when we had to call an ambulance for Maureen as her heartbeat was seriously irregular (Prayers, prompt ambo response and professional hospital attention resulted in a peaceful night).

Pending marriage breakups, illnesses, financial loss, inability to achieve standards, computer troubles (like recently with our E-Mag system), one’s  kids in trouble and other unexpected issues can leave us feeling flattened, scared, sometimes even very ill.

Yes… we understand… been there, done that! Still going through some issues of our own and appreciate— and believe— in such comforting scriptures like the following which remind us that God is still in charge no matter how dark the world gets!

Paul who had many hassles to contend with wrote comforting truths: ‘Do not be anxious about anything … the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 4:6-7). 

Fearfulness
Now then… as it’s almost the special festive season of the year, we’d draw your attention to special people who daringly moved from fearfulness to faithfully responding to God’s wishes, His prophesied blessings.

(i) Luke 1: 26-38
These verses tell of the shock a young virgin had when out-of-the-blue an angel appeared saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus’ (v30-31). Before she can do anything, the heavenly messenger tells her amazing things about her child (v32-33).

Now wonder the bewildered young girl gasps, ‘How will this be … since I am a virgin?’ and hears more  breathtaking news: ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God’ (v34-35). Wow! How would you be feeling, ladies?

Mary’s calm history-making response? ‘I am the Lord’s servant … May your word to me be fulfilled’ (v38).

(ii) Matthew 1:18-25
And what about young Joseph discovering to his surprise that the ‘love of his life’ is pregnant— and then hearing from an angel in a dream: ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit’ (v20).

Joseph’s calm on-wakening response? ‘When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife’ (v24). What a move of faith!

(iii) Luke 2:8-18
Frightened shepherds visited by an angel are comforted then informed with incredible information: ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger’ (v10-12).

Shepherds’ calm decision response? ‘When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger’ (v15-16).

• Overall the real Christmas story as depicted by Matthew and Luke is precious. And… we encourage you to read December’s articles by Dr Jim McClure, Dr Richard Winter and Brian Bell (links below).

Frightfulness
Back to our theme above of not being afraid— the word ‘afraid’ (fear in the KJV) is phobeo… to be frightened, alarmed, exceedingly fearful. And wouldn’t you be too if an angel came to you even in a dream? What if God Himself had appeared? The good news was that those heavenly messengers had four important words. Let’s treat them as three, one italicised— ‘Don’t be afraid.’

Three simple but very comforting words, grammatically known as a negatory factor! Cambridge Dictionary  explains negation as the action of causing something to not exist or to have no effect; the exact opposite of something, or a complete lack of it.

There are times of course when we should feel fear— God wired our minds this way so that we would pull back from endangering situations that would paralyse us, causing us trouble. But… the three incidents above are ones where God wanted the hearers to know that He had important commissions that He wished them to carry out without fear. And that would result in blessing not only themselves but countless others worldwide… and generationally!

And so our caring, loving God ensured that they got encouragement first up before hearing breathtaking news and directions! What a loving and thoughtful God He is!

Fearless!
As already mentioned, many scriptures confirm God’s desire that we don’t be plagued with fears. Here’s some more—  Psalms 27:1, 46:1-3, 56:3-4, 118:6; Isaiah 41:10,13; Haggai 2:5; Luke 12:7,32; John 14:27; Hebrew:13:6.

Psalm 23:4 is a popular and comforting well-known one to recall, even cling to, in troubling times— ‘Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.’ Treasury of David calls this is an ‘unspeakably delightful verse,’ that ‘Every word in it has a wealth of meaning.’

And—  this note is very important is respect of that question that we mentioned above— ‘To walk indicates the steady advance of a soul which knows its road, knows its end, resolves to follow the path, feels quite safe, and is therefore perfectly calm and composed.’

Fearlessly
Our question? One that links with the boldness of young Joseph and Mary, and those humble shepherds highlighted above: Has God called you to do something for Him that although you may not fully understand it, He wishes you to boldly accept and— in common terms— ‘go for it.’

Or is He currently giving you one— a Christmastime challenge? If so, what is, or will be, your response? ‘Steady advance’ as stated above, with a resolution to keep moving ahead fearlessly on God’s allotted pathway, feeling secure, calm and composed, no matter what?

If so we encourage you too to be bold and daring. We have our own particular challenges and are aligning with Hebrews 13:6— ‘So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”’ As Vincents Word Studies comments, this literally means ‘to be of good courage.’

May we all be so unafraid! We encourage you to be bold and respond to God’s challenge— or life’s challenges for that matter— and quote the Hebrews scripture above from the Message Bible which boldly and cheekily proclaims: ‘God is there, ready to help; I’m fearless no matter what. Who or what can get to me?’ 

Merry Christmas indeed!
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Dr Robert and Pastor Maureen McQuillan’s links OnlinerConnect@gmail.com / Facebook. / Article links: Tiny Town – Stunning Significance / Humble Shepherds Heard It First / Luke’s Christmas Message
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