“Fear of Dying”

​Daily Devotional – Monday, December 20, 2021

“14 Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15 Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.” (Hebrews 2:14-15, NLT)

While the anticipation of eternal life in heaven can be a source of hope, joy and peace, the necessary occasion of physical death can cause us some anxiety. Death was never to be a part of our human experience, but was introduced into our world as a result of disobeying God. Even though we must all now pass through the experience of dying, it still feels foreign and we dread the various means by which our life may come to an end. Despite this fact, those of us who have placed our faith in Jesus and His redemptive work, have no reason to become enslaved to the fear of dying. For us it has become the natural next step—shedding a corruptible body for a heavenly one. The fear of death should be given no foothold in the life of the believer; if we have placed our faith in Jesus, we have only one Master—the One who defeated the devil and his power of death.

That means that we should be amongst the most courageous people on the planet—not foolhardy, but also not paralyzed into inactivity because of fear for our own personal safety, well-being, and longevity. If we say we believe that God is trustworthy, then we need to prove it. Fear is the opposite of faith…and we are called to be a people of faith. Our destination is secured, so we’ve no reason to hold back, to grow anxious or doubt God’s plan even though we may not understand it.
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Pastor Jane