fear not

Friday April 10^th, Mark 16: 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen!  In the history of humanity, this is one of the true mind blowing experiences.  After all the times Jesus had told them this would be the reality, they just did not manage to wrap their heads around this one.  When you boil it all down the message of God is one of "fear not."  It was given to Mary at the annunciation, it was given to the women at the tomb at the resurrection, it is given to us as sanctification.  We often however don't hear it.  There are many subtle ways we operate in fear.  We don't say something because we don’t know how someone will take it, which is another way of saying we don't know if they will still like us.   We don't pray in public, we don't talk about our faith or our doubts because it is too personal as if God died only for us and not the whole of creation.  For all of us who live our lives in fear, Fear Not, the Lord is with you.  Let those words echo into your heart today.  Let those words echo into your life today.  Let those words echo into the world today.  And may they echo off you.