Luke 1:74-75 (ESV)
[74] that we, being delivered from the
hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
[75] in holiness and righteousness
before him all our days.
This is part of Zechariah’s prophecy after the naming of
his son John, later to be known as John the Baptist. It is a reference to the
one John would introduce to the world. Through Jesus comes deliverance from the
hand of enemies. In that deliverance comes the ability to serve God without
fear, in holiness and righteousness.
Fear paralyzes us. Fear hinders holiness and
righteousness. When we are controlled by fear, we are not listening to the Spirit
of God but to the spirit of fear. But this is the very enemy from which we have
been delivered. Fear has to do with what you believe. If you believe someone or
something can harm you, then you live in fear. But if you believe that God is a
merciful God who has covenanted with us through Jesus, and who always keeps his
word, then we can live in the peace that leads to holiness and righteousness.
We too often look for peace and joy from external
circumstances and situations. We look to the right kind of worship music in
church, or the lack of drama surrounding us, or some other place that we
imagine will bring us peace. In rocky relationships we fantasize about some
other person that will bring us happiness. But peace and joy come from inside,
not outside. They are grounded not in circumstances, people, and situations,
but in the truth that we have been delivered from the hand of our enemies
through Jesus. In our deliverance we find the peace that leads to holiness and
righteousness that circumstances, situations, and people can never deliver.
Believe it!
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