Fear is the Emotion of Death

Today’s reading: Matthew 28:1-15

It is interesting, and very telling, that the guards of Jesus’ tomb were deathly afraid of God’s angel who appeared just as the two Mary’s arrived.

“For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men.” (Verse 4)

Their reaction to the news that Jesus had been resurrected is, indeed, “like dead men.”

Spiritually dead, that is.

The guards and the two Mary’s were witnesses to the same scene, but reacted in opposite ways. The women ran with “great joy” to tell the news to the disciples.  Meanwhile, the guards went immediately to the priests and elders, for whom the news would be most disturbing.

The women chose the course of life and hope. They ran joyfully toward Easter. The guards, however,  chose the path of death. They ran toward the darkness of Good Friday.

When men cannot make themselves believe in miracles, they are as good as dead. And the emotion of death is fear.

Influenced by many pieces of scripture throughout the Bible, I have recently begun the habit of simply refusing to be afraid (or worried). Whenever I find myself about to say, “I am afraid that …” or “I’m worried that …” I now stop that thought and begin meditating on this: with God, there is no fear.

If the guards, and all others who supported the crucifixion, had developed a similar habit, well, the crucifixion would have never been necessary. That is the eternal lesson of Easter.

Thanks be to God for eternal freedom from all fear. May I always remember that fear is what separates me from Him.