Listen to the angel
Over the phone, I heard something in her voice.
“How are you doing?” I asked, “How are you, really?” And then a sniffle broke through the silence.
“I’m okay.” sniffle, “well actually…I feel quite done with all this, I don’t know how much more I can take. I am overwhelmed but what I hear going on in the world.” There was another pause and then she said, “Honestly, I am feeling lonely but more than anything else I feel afraid.”
We chatted for an hour after that.
That was just one of the many conversations I have had in recent months and days. The pandemic has wreaked havoc on each of us, in various degrees —mentally, physically, financially and emotionally.
When she said, “I am feeling lonely and but more than anything else I feel afraid”, my heart both ached and resonated with hers. I wanted to say to her…
But the spirit of fear does not come from God,
Or quote 1 John 4:18 “No fear in love but perfect love casts out fear.”
Or say to her, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
But at that moment what she really needed was for someone to listen. And that is what I did. After praying with her, I hung up the phone and tried to turn my head to preparing the Advent series. I opened up to the Gospel of Luke to reread the Christmas story and there it was. It was rather remarkable.
The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God.” (Luke 1:28-30)
Do not be afraid.
As I kept reading, I saw it again, this time with Joseph when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Do not be afraid”.
Keep on reading and you will see, as I did, that the angel of the Lord said to the shepherds in the field: “Do not be afraid”.
Do not be afraid.
It is normal to be afraid and it is easy to worry about what “may happen”. But what’s amazing is that the Word of God addresses this very thing and is full of reminders to the people of God to not be afraid.
God is in control. God is awake in the middle of the night when you feel like you are all alone. God is in the midst of all of it — the loneliness, the struggles, the pain and the fear and even COVID— and God will see you through. God is here, waiting for us to call out to Him. God loves us so much. Don't be afraid, God is with us. Emmanuel.
This Advent series has been inspired by you, dear one! Thank you!
Join me this week as we journey to Christmas Day with Communion and Part 2 of: