No Fear

Fountain Creek Regional Park, Fountain, Colorado

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This female Red Winged Blackbird doesn't have a care in the world even though she's clinging to a year-old cattail. From this position she scouts her surroundings maybe looking for bugs or wondering where a good nesting place might be. She's not concerned about the cattail collapsing.

It's easy to lose focus and fear enter our lives.

"But when [Peter] saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, 'Lord, save me.'" Matthew 14:30 English Standard Version

Fear can cripple us. We're afraid that someone might hurt us so we don't involve ourselves with others.  We're afraid of failure so we don't try anything new. We're afraid of the boogieman so we don't venture out of our homes. Fear often leads to a loss of focus.

Peter stepped out of the boat (the other disciples didn't), but he lost focus as he was captivated by fear. He took his eyes off Jesus and saw the storm engulfing him.

There have been times that we've lost our focus, when we've taken our eyes off of Jesus. When this happens we, too, are filled with fear.

Peter cried out to Jesus and he saved him. Even before we cry out to Jesus, he saved us. It's what he does.

His perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). With the power of Christ's perfect love its okay to risk getting to know someone, try something new or venture out of our homes.

Through Christ, fear need no longer cripple us.

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(Click on picture to enlarge.)

Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2015 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.