Thought to Ponder: Your best is Ahead!!
“l am your shield, your very great reward.” Ge 15:1 NIV

Don’t be afraid, God is with you
When God sends you into a new situation, or asks you to do something you’ve never done before, you’ll experience uncertainty and fear, and have a lot of questions. God knows that; that’s why the promise He gives you is always equal to the project He gives you. Imagine selling your house, packing up your belongings, putting your family in the car, and heading down the road without having a clue where you’re going. Sound crazy? That’s what God asked Abraham to do. But He told him, “Do not be afraid…I am your shield, your very great reward.” The word “shield” means God will protect you, and the word “reward” means He will provide everything you need. Does that mean you won’t experience fear? No, it means you must trust Him in spite of your fears! Dr. Bernard Vittone says: “As we age we lose the ability to distinguish between the negative anxiety associated with work, stress, and tension, and the positive type that’s a natural and exciting part of trying something new. As a result we become more fearful and avoid anxiety-producing situations. When that happens, the desire for safety keeps us stuck in neutral. Trying to avoid risk is like trying to avoid living; without a goal to strive for you stop growing altogether.” If Abraham had refused to obey God because he feared the unknown and the untried, he’d have missed his “very great reward.” So press through your fear today and claim the blessing God has promised you on the other side of it. Don’t be afraid; God is with you! (b gass)