Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries: 17 December 2024
"WITHOUT FEAR"
And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people ... that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers ... that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days." (Luke 1:67-68, 71-72a, 75)
Fear is a problem in my life. Sometimes it's fear of the future-what will happen tomorrow? Sometimes it's fear of people-will that person harm me or betray me?
God knows the power that fear has in our lives, and He came to save us. That is why Zechariah sings about Jesus: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people ... that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us." Only Jesus is strong enough to save us from the power of evil. Only He loves us enough to lay down His own life to rescue us from sin, death, and the devil. Only He, who rose from the dead, is sharing with us even now His own everlasting life-so we can walk through this world trusting in Him every day, until we meet Him face to face.
WE PRAY: When I'm afraid, dear Lord, be with me and help me! Amen.
Advent Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.
And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people ... that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers ... that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days." (Luke 1:67-68, 71-72a, 75)
Fear is a problem in my life. Sometimes it's fear of the future-what will happen tomorrow? Sometimes it's fear of people-will that person harm me or betray me?
God knows the power that fear has in our lives, and He came to save us. That is why Zechariah sings about Jesus: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people ... that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us." Only Jesus is strong enough to save us from the power of evil. Only He loves us enough to lay down His own life to rescue us from sin, death, and the devil. Only He, who rose from the dead, is sharing with us even now His own everlasting life-so we can walk through this world trusting in Him every day, until we meet Him face to face.
WE PRAY: When I'm afraid, dear Lord, be with me and help me! Amen.
Advent Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.