Perfect Love Casts Out Fear
Here in is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
There is no fear in love; perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
…I John 4:17-18
A commercial caught my attention one day, but to tell you exactly what the commercial was for, I can’t say. It did have something to do about a car and the tranquil feeling the father had as he placed the seat belt around his 6-7 year old daughter. The little girl jabbered so much the father had a hard time trying to get back to the wheel. He listened intently as he had finally closed the door while she continued, not missing a beat.
I was so tickled over the determination of this little character to finish her story while her father drove nodding his head and grinning at her enthusiasm. But mostly, I noticed what she was wearing. It is a female thing I am sure, but nevertheless, I noticed her outfit thinking, she must have a mind of her own, because no mother in her right mind would have dressed her child that way. It did look like she dressed herself and had fun doing it. Nothing matched, all the way from plaids to an array of colors. It was humorous to say the least.
I saw myself in this little girl as she kept going in her own direction, in her own little world and it would not have bothered her one bit if her daddy had not heard a word she said. She had something to say and said it.
Her unmatched outfit reminded me of this verse in I John 4:4 where John writes, perfect love casts out fear. What does that have to do with this outfit? Some things in our lives don’t match. We are to live for Christ, and be bold. We should not fear as Christians about standing before the Lord with what we have done for Him in this life time. If we fear because of shame, apprehension of God’s assessment of our life in Him, then we don’t have peace and do not have a mature or complete love. We are saved if we have asked Jesus to cleanse our hearts from sin and accept Him as Savior. We then have the promise of eternal life in Him, but we live in fear, guilt and shame of not being or living the way He wants us too in the here and now. We become not at all anxious about His return. In other words, we don’t match up!
We are fearful when we should be at peace. Our love for Him no matter how great came about because He first loved us. Perfect love casts out fear of standing before Him. If you think your love doesn’t and can’t match up to His, you are wrong. Christ lives in us and we are to be like Christ.
Does your life feel mix-matched like this little girl’s lovely array? Do you say one thing, live and talk another. Do you jabber on and on but are not prone to listen carefully to find out why you have those apprehensions about meeting your Savior? Un-confessed sin is one thing that will hinder that joy. Confess, and live for Him in little ways everyday. That love you show to others will take that apprehension away. In-fact it is a promise-- that complete love, will cast away fear.
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