What Jesus Did! 'Don't Be Afraid' — Luke 1:30-33

Thursday, January 12, 2023

"Don't be afraid, Mary," the angel told her, "for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!"
— Luke 1:30-33 NLT

Key Thought

Fear. It can be overwhelming. It is sometimes paralyzing. We shouldn't be surprised that one of the most often repeated commands in Scripture is, "Don't be afraid!" Older translations sometimes say, "Fear not!" Fear of the unknown, fear of complications, fear of death and dying, fear of a person, fear of a circumstance, fear of the incomprehensible, fear of what we cannot control, and a host of other fears can come crashing down on us in times of stress, danger, and uncertainty. The great heroes of faith faced moments of fear. God guided them through their fears. Jesus' coming is about putting aside our fears. So it shouldn't be surprising that the announcement of his conception would come with the command to Mary that she shouldn't be frightened and the assurance that she doesn't need to be frightened. As you journey with Jesus this year, ask God to make the assurance of Jesus real in your life and to have that assurance crowd out the forces of fear in your heart.

Today's Prayer

Give me courage, O Almighty Father, so that fear will not cloud my thoughts or weaken my faith. Fill me with your assurance and have Jesus chase the clouds of fear away. In the name of Jesus, your Son and my triumphant Lord, I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • Matthew 1:18-21
  • John 6:16-21
  • Hebrews 2:14-18

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Illustration

Illustration of Luke 1:30-33 NLT — "Don't be afraid, Mary,"

About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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