Some hope if the news scares you, a greater fear + a printable promise

Can I try to encourage you today? If you're like me, you're catching bits of news here and there, watching horrifying videos, and wondering where terror will strike next. And your heart feels a bit shaky.

These are some Scripture that have come to mind in the last few days. I simply want to share them with you and pray that you let their truths pour over your heart. I have made a few highlights of things that jumped out at me.

(This whole chapter is worth a read:)

Psalm 37:1-13 "Of David. Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land. In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace. The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him,but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming."

The girls and I are studying ancient civilizations in history. Some of them wreaked havoc on neighboring peoples. It must have seemed for the oppressors and the oppressed that the current powers would never weaken. But they did, and all that remains now are bones and broken relics.

Does God promise that the violence of the wicked will never touch you? In way yes, and in a way no. See these verses:

Matthew 10:28-31: "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows."

 This same account of Jesus' teaching is found in Luke:

Luke 12:4-7:  "I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! "Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows."

So yes, in the most real way, there's only so much any human wickedness has the power to inflict on you--if your trust is in Jesus. I don't know about you, but I find that oddly comforting. 

Romans 8:31-39: "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died--more than that, who was raised--who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." 

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Our greatest fear should be separation from the love of the Father--ETERNAL separation. And that is a power that only God holds. That is also the fear that is put to rest at the cross for those who trust what Jesus accomplished there.

This sure hope certainly doesn't ease the pain caused by violence and loss, but it does give us a path through it. 

I am listening to this song (In Christ Alone) today. We are also going to be coloring this coloring page, and you can too! You can download it here (usage below*).

*I'm so happy for you to enjoy my coloring pages and printables for your personal (not commercial) use! All artwork and photos are ã Marydean Draws. Please share freely by posting a link back to this blog post. Please don't repost the actual file. If you share this, you're awesome (!), and as a courtesy,  please link back to this post and not the PDF file. Thank you!!

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