from fear to faith, wisdom, and help

First of the new series! We look at Psalm 27 and the core human emotion of fear. Over these five weeks, the Psalms will both show us our hearts and teach us to be honest with our hearts to God. They teach us to pray, as David Taylor says, “Not to escape your life but to be open and unafraid about it”. Psalms help us express our hearts to God, not praying what we “think” we are supposed to, but what’s real and what we really feel. Today in Psalm 27 we get a prayer for when we are feeling fear – and learn to feel it and face it and take it to God, discovering help, wisdom, and faith. God is the one who over and over again in the Bible says these words: “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.” As Scotty Smith put it: the most frequently repeated command in the bible is “do not fear. Don’t be afraid.” and the most frequently repeated promise in the Bible: “I am with you”. May you discover the gift of fear – telling the truth, discovering your need and gaining a heart of wisdom — becoming whole-hearted, depending in love on the God who loves you, who has sent his son to secure a place for you, and who gives you his Spirit. He will never abandon or forsake you. Reflection Guide