In the story of the annunciation, the angel Gabriel visits Mary to tell her that she is going to bear a special child. In the angel’s opening words, Mary is told, Fear not. Don’t be afraid.
Experts tell us that the number one fear among humans is the fear of death. I find this ironic in a way. We’re most afraid of the thing that we know 100% is going to happen to each and every one of us. Yes, there are terrible ways to die – a child that drowns, a loved one killed by an drunk driver, dying by suicide, a random, disease diagnosis. But we all know that we are going to die. Why fear what is most assured in life?
Maybe more fearsome than death is an angel visitation? The angel Gabriel seems to know that, so he begins by reassuring Mary, Don’t be afraid.
This is the season when we prepare to celebrate the birth of the one whom we believe inaugurates God’s dream of peace and justice for all of Creation. So what is there to be afraid of?
Maybe what we need to be afraid of is not doing all that we can to celebrate the dream of God and make it a reality. Maybe we might be afraid of not giving ourselves over fully and freely to creating a world of where every life, human and non human, is cherished. Maybe what we need to be afraid of is missing our opportunities to be part of creating God’s reality where:
the proud are scattered
the mighty are deposed from their thrones
the lowly are raised to high places
the hungry are filled with good things
and the rich are sent empty away.
Prayer: May we not be afraid to say yes to Divine Love! Amen.
This devotion was prepared by Rev. Kim P. Wells, pastor of Lakewood United Church of Christ in St. Petersburg, FL.
Lakewood United Church of Christ 