Pastor Vern’s Pondering March 2023

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.”
Fear is not part of God’s good creation. Fear is not the way it is supposed to be. The
good news is that perfect love drives out fear. Just before this verse John writes
that God is love. So actually it is God who drives out fear, because God is perfect
love.
So how does God actually drive out fear? We live with so many fears: fear of
inadequacy, fear of circumstance, fear of death, fear of the unexplainable, fear of
hell, and fear of the unknown. God drives out all these fears by assuring us that He
is in control and that He will not let a hair fall from our heads without His will, in
fact all things he must work out for our good/salvation.
His perfect love came to its fullest expression in the cross of Calvary. There we see
just how much he loves us, that He would send his Son to die for our sins. We also,
see His power, when he raised Jesus from the dead. Knowing these things drives out
our fears for we know God can turn all things to our good and we know that God
desires to do this because He is our heavenly Father.
Throughout this Lenten season we will be considering the many fears we live with
in this fallen world and how God’s perfect love drives out all our fears. May God
comfort you during this season of Lent and always!
With Love!
Pastor Vern