Do not be afraid

Do not be afraid. 

From time to time, we receive letters from our readers telling us about how the Lord has worked in their lives.   The letter below, edited for space and clarity, tells one such story.

“Last week I was driving my seemingly healthy son, Josh, to the emergency room as waves of panic rose up in me.   We had gone to the doctor, assuming he had picked up some minor bug, only to be told to go straight to the hospital.   Josh’s blood sugar level was dangerously high, and he needed immediate treatment.

“Within a few hours his life changed dramatically: Josh had diabetes.   The news shocked us. Josh needed to adopt a completely alien health regimen, one that included administering shots at least three times a day.   My son, who loved eating sweets and lots of carbs, would now have to pay very close attention to his diet.   All of a sudden, the future became cloudier.

“‘Do not be afraid.’   These words from Luke’s Gospel spoke to my motherly heart.   What if he were to miss a glucose reading or a shot of insulin while he was at college—hours away?   Who would remind him?   Who would be able to drop everything and rush him to the hospital?

“But Jesus said, ‘Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins?   Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God’ (Luke 12:6).   My fear led me to ask some unsettling questions.   Had it escaped the notice of God that our son has a life-altering chronic illness?   Did he miss the fact that my boy will now need to exercise more discipline and self-control than most kids his age?

“That was last week.   Today, I am watching Josh take advantage of the grace that God has provided him, and my fear is subsiding.   I still have moments of frustration and discouragement when I think about how difficult life will be for him.   But I am also seeing many ways that God has proved himself true to his promise.   He is clearly giving my son the ability to accept his new reality. Josh isn’t living in fear, so surely I can follow his lead—surely I can stake my life on Jesus’ words.”

Word Among Us