God with Us
Mark 6:50b, "But Jesus spoke to them at once. 'Don't be afraid,' he said. 'Take courage! I am here!"
You know when that invisible band tightens around your chest and your blood turns cold with fear? It doesn't have to. Because you're not alone. Jesus is here.
He tells his disciples "Don't be afraid." And the reason He tells them they shouldn't be afraid? Because He is with them. They are not alone.
One of the names of our Savior is "Immanuel" which means "God with us." Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, assures us that this is just as true--even more so--since Jesus ascended back up to heaven. He says "Christ lives within you..." (Romans 8:10 NLT).
Christ lives within you through the Holy Spirit. Through the Gospel of God's grace we are able to experience the most intimate connection possible between the human and the Divine.
Jesus declares in John 16:7, "But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you" (NLT).
So many of us wish we could go back in time and witness Jesus walking on the earth. What would it feel like to see Him physically in front of us? To look in His eyes? To feel His embrace?
Yet Jesus told the disciples it was better for them if He left. Because the intimacy of the Holy Spirit living inside of them--though they could not fathom it--was better than Jesus staying with them in physical form.
When you feel afraid, take courage. You are not alone. Your Savior is with you. Whatever you need--provision, wisdom, strength, endurance, courage, faith, peace, joy--He is with you and He will provide it if you ask Him to. Whatever comes, you don't have to be afraid.
Ephesians 1:3, "All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ" (NLT).
James 1:5, "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking" (NLT).
Psalm 29:11, "The LORD gives his people strength. The LORD blesses them with peace" (NLT).
Psalm 34:4, "I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears" (NIV).
1 John 4:4, "But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world" (NLT).