Romans 8:12-17

“For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption.” vs. 15

When Jesus spoke to his disciples after his resurrection, the first words out of his mouth were, “Do not be afraid.” In fact they’d heard that phrase regularly from him throughout his ministry. Whatever situation they were in he wanted them to know that everything was going to be okay, that all would be well. Paul obviously had picked up that little bit of good news from Jesus and here he reminds his Roman readers that those who are in Christ have no reason to fear. They are no longer the slaves of sin but the adopted children of God.

Still, it’s easier to say those things than it is to believe them. We live in troubled times when our leaders like nothing better than making us feel afraid. Bit by bit we are being taught to fear everyone and everything, especially those who are different! Now that the campaign season is open, we are being fed a steady diet of carefully crafted scary political ads. We might recognize them as falsehoods and caricatures but they’re still troublesome.

Now is the time for us as adopted children of God to gird up our loins and refuse to be afraid. Of course bad things will happen. That’s inevitable in a broken world, but that’s no reason for us to stop trusting in God’s goodness. All will be well!  Jesus said so, and so it will be!

Thought for the Day: Why are political ads so negative?