My family lives close to the Gulf of Mexico, so one day after church, we decided to head to the beach. We hadn’t been in a while–the summer weeks have been racing past us–and our kids have been asking daily to go. We finally relented. We reached the beach. I sprayed the kids down with sunblock, and they ran straight to the warm waves.
I loved watching them smile and laugh as the splashed through the salty current. It was a perfect day–blue skies, slight breeze and smooth ripples. I couldn’t help but thank God for our Texas coast and promise myself that I would not neglect this beautiful blessing from God. Suddenly, I saw my husband gesturing to the water. I walked closer to his location, and I could hear the wind carry his voice with the words: “portuguese man of war.”
I called my kids to me and walked them back to the sandy shore. Then we past the blue man of war’s location and went back into the water. My kids asked me what was going on, so I let them know that there was a portuguese man of war in the water, and we were simply going around it.
I could tell that the kids were frightened, so I gently told them about the realities of the beach. The water is wonderful and it is a blessing, but there are also dangers in it that we need to be careful of. But we can’t let the possibility of danger prevent us from enjoying God’s great oceans. Fear should not rule our actions.
This reality is true for life, as well. As we go about our day, there is always a potential for danger, but we can’t be ruled by fear. We must live in an atmosphere of faith. Yes, we may get hurt, but God is with us every step of the way. Jesus died for our sins, so he could live every moment of life–the good and the bad–with us. He will never leave us or forsake us, so we don’t need to live in fear.
And one day, we won’t ever feel pain or heartache again. Because of Jesus sacrifice on the cross, heaven is available to everyone who receives Him has their Lord and Savior.
Memory Verse:
“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
– Deuteronomy 3:18 (NIV)
Prayer Prompt:
“Heavenly Father, I know there are many things in this life and on this earth for which I can fear, but I don’t want to live in anxiety and confusion anymore. I want to trust You and walk in the truth that You are always with me and that You will never forsake me. Help me to let go of my fear today…”
Contributing Writer:
Alisa Hope Wagner
Faith Imagined.com
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