“The Lord is my shepherd, whom shall I fear?” – Psalm 23:1

My neighbor has two boys ages seven and ten.  Some days she feels as if she just keeps repeating herself and they don’t seem to hear her.  It reminded me of when my children were younger.  When we went to church it seemed like I had three phrases I just repeated over and over.  “Sit down.”  “Turn around.”  “Be quiet.”  I’m sure you can remember your own parent’s oft-repeated phrases or the ones you seem to repeat over and over yourself with seemingly little effect. 

A quick google search revealed that the most often repeated command in the Bible is “Be not afraid”, or “Do not fear.”  So many people live in fear and feel the anxiety it causes.  God tells us in Isaiah 41:13,  “I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”  God puts his shield around us, (Psalms 3:3) and blesses those who “delight in His commands.”  (Psalms 112:1)  If we live within the shield of his perfect love He will cast out all fear.  (1 John 4:8) 

“But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.” Psalms 3:3

Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands.  Psalm 112:1