Friday, April 26: Matthew 10– Who should we fear…

So many places to meditate… call to radical discipleship toward the end, warning about being betrayed, even by loved ones, the command to go and so on. It was, however, verse 28 that drew me in. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
It seems that this verse has been popping up lately for me. And only recently am I paying attention to what it teaches.
It seems obvious that the one I am not to be afraid of is other people, who can kill the body. Even God’s enemy, Satan, can only kill the body.  He cannot snatch someone out of God’s hand and destroy the eternity of one owned by the Lord.
I rarely paid attention to the One of whom we should be afraid. That was a head scratcher for me, until the light went on recently. Why it took so long I do not know. Even the English text should have helped me with the pronoun ‘One’ capitalized. The One of whom I should be afraid is the Lord God Almighty!
God is the One we should fear, respect, reverence, live to please and obey! Seems to me this is Jesus’ point. It is certainly the message I hear loud and clear as I meditate and pray today.

Lord God Almighty, let me never forget You alone are God. I am not. People are not. Satan and his henchmen are not. You alone are Sovereign. Your judgments are right and true and You are the one I pledge my allegiance to. Alleluia. Amen.

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