We have nothing to fear.......

"You did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption [by which] we call out, 'Abba, Father'"     Rms 8.15


"my firm belief [is]that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."   FDR in a speech to the nation, 1933

FDR used this quote from Francis Bacon to rally the people of America who were entrenched in the Great Depression with little hope of a positive resolution.  He pressed the people to realize that our fear immobilizes us and keeps us from moving forward.

In the lectionary passage Romans 8.12-30 the apostle Paul is likewise rallying the people of God to look forward, to act with boldness, to cling to the promises of Jesus Christ.  This entire chapter in Romans seeks to capture the emotive power of being claimed by God in Jesus for redemption. 

"I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth complaring with the glory about to be revealed to us" v.18

Jesus is bringing us into a relationship with the divine creator that surpasses all we know now and all that we are experiencing now.  Paul does not dimiss or disrespect the kind of suffering we are presenting experiencing; instead, he presses us to keep our eyes on Jesus and the joy of being brought to new life in him.

Look at v. 22

"We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies."

Those of us who have had the honor of 'groaning in labor pains' know that this is no easy experience.  However, the wonder and gift of life that comes once the labor is over and the child is born presses our memory of long hours of pain back into nothingness.  Creation waits for the revealing of 'new life' so it too can rejoice.

Paul wants us to know that when things fell apart for this creation of earth and animals and humans (call that sin) that the animals and earth could do nothing to redeem themselves and return to the wonder of the first moments of perfection.  Redemption awaited a confused, stubborn, lost humankind.  And humankind awaited Jesus.

So, release the fear.  Fear will keep us in bondage. 
Fear will keep us stuck in hole where no new life can blossom.
And we all know fear.
           Fear of rejection (so we do not ask)
           Fear of losing (so we do not try)
           Fear of being wrong (so we never try something new)
           Fear of dying (so we use all our energy to protect ourselves).
           Fear of abandonment (so we cling to relationships that are not healthy)

Well, we could go on and on.  We all know fear.  When fear enters our day, we quickly become that small child within - you know, the one you thought you 'grew out of.'

That child is ultimately afraid that s/he is not loved.....and even that isn't the bottom of this pit.
At the bottom is our fear that we are not even lovable.

Into that darkness comes Paul's wonderful expression of God's love for us in Jesus.

"You did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption [by which] we call out, 'Abba, Father'" 

and our Lord and Savior Jesus calls out to us once again:  you are lovable, you are loved, you are mine, child of God.

And that, my friends, is the Good News any day of the week.

Peace.