Do Not Be Afraid

This morning, Pastor Amy spoke about fear and used this as her text from Acts 18:

9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city."

She showed her favorite Nike poster with a runner on it which said that the road is always open. Even though the road is open, we may fear someone will attack us (especially if we are running alone at night). There are many other fears that keep us from doing what we are called to do. We were supposed to write a fear down and put it in a bowl, but I couldn't think of any at the time.

The following Psalm we read brings it in to perspective and I am glad we have this hope. I thought this was good to reflect on as we remember 9-11.

1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 7 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. 8 Come and see the works of the Lord, the desolations he has brought on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. 10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." 11 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

When I finished this post and looked at it right above yesterday's picture, I thought what a good picture to show how when we look at the Light, the Capitol is not the main thing. That wasn't even on purpose :)