1 John 4:18 - “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”
When I was growing up in church, I often heard that the opposite of fear is faith – just have more faith, and then you will not be afraid. I would try and try to muster up more faith, and every time I failed. I just got more down on myself. But I have discovered over time that the antidote to all our fears is love.
When God looked upon the human race as we were lost in our sin, we were so precious to him that he had to do something. This agapé love drove him to action. He sacrificed his beloved Son on our behalf. He did this for the sake of you and me, the people he so deeply cherished.
Agapé love is so simple, but it still takes a lifetime to let seep into the depths of our souls. It comes as we worship God in his holiness, as we proclaim his goodness and majesty…If agapé love is the basis of our lives, we will totally change as the difference in us is worked out in our day-to-day interactions with the ones we are called to do life with. We experience it in worship and it changes everything – even to the point of casting out fear. Fear is replaced by a boldness in sharing the miracle of God’s love for us to the entire world.
This is not our natural inclination. That’s why in 1 Corinthians 14:1, Paul urges us to, “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit.” The word for “follow” here means to hotly, passionately pursue something. It is an act of diligence. As we honor others, it becomes our chief pursuit and aim to express what God had done inside of us! Start there. Have you fully experienced and embraced God’s love for you? Has it sunk deep down in your spirit? When it does – watch out! You will love others as never before! But it begins with receiving God’s love in your own life first.
(Taken with edits from Darlene Zschech’s Worship Changes Everything.)
Let us worship Jesus today. Let our fears of punishments be driven out by his perfect love for us because of his sacrifice for us on the rugged cross. Let this love become the basis of our lives more and more as the Holy Spirit changes everything.
-AP
