Be Very Afraid? عينة

[Illustrations included in this devotional are not visible in this view. Illustrations are only supported in the Bible App for iOS, Android, and at Bible.com] By Corey Mann When I was young, I always hated being in the dark. As a grown man, I still do. The only thing worse is being left in the dark alone.  When I was growing up, the streetlights coming on was the sign to head back to our house from playing. My sister and I would race to see who could make it inside first.  Some nights we would get there at the same time—a tie. Sometimes the winner would just laugh at who came through the door last. On the worst nights, the winner would have the privilege of locking the door to leave the other alone in the dark. The nights I lost were terrifying.  As soon as the door closed in front of me, I would begin shouting, “Let me in! Don't leave me!” The darkness surrounding me became too much to handle all alone.  Life can have scary moments. The most frightening moments are the ones that leave us feeling completely alone. The good news is that we are never really alone. David tells us in Psalm 145:18, “The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” We do not have to be afraid. God is with us and wants to give us guidance and peace.  He wants us to be honest with him about our greatest fears. He promises to be near and to never abandon us to face the scary moments alone.  Questions for Reflection:  1. Have there been scary moments in your life that left you feeling alone? 2. When scary moments come, it can help to take a few minutes to talk to God. You can say something like, “God, I feel alone when I’m facing this situation. I am scared. I need your help. Please meet me where I am because I'm unsure of what to do next.” How could your scary moments be different if you tried this?