For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
(Romans 8. NRSV)
Rebecca Manley Pippert recalls the time when she first came to faith. Up until that time she had been afraid that if she surrendered her life to God, He would take away her identity. Even worse, she was afraid she'd become somewhat strange in the process. She thought of religious persons she had known and wasn't sure that she wanted to be like them. She wondered what changes she would have to make in her life: would she have to give up her love of jazz music? Would she have to act religious all the time? Would her friends recognize her?

Her worst fear was that her friends would reject her as having become slightly demented. In her mind she would hear the taunts of her friends: "Too bad about Becky. She used to be so much fun." But Becky knew that something just wasn't right in her life. Something was missing. There was an inner restlessness, emptiness, a longing that never left her. Something was definitely missing, but she was afraid -- afraid of the changes that Christ would require of her. When she finally did come to faith, though, Christ filled her emptiness and removed her fear. She was filled with a new-found sense of joy.

That's what happens when folks come to know the risen Lord.

God of love, thank you for taking away my fear and emptiness. Amen.

Ron Newhouse

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