It’s always interesting to watch people come to the realization that they aren’t in control.

Of anything really.

Not the weather or the stock market, or the electric grid or the water supply.

Man’s own frailty is a scary thing.

For some of us, it still hasn’t hit home that we’re not even in control of our next breath…

You went to sleep last night without remembering to set your lungs to auto mode didn’t you?

And yet here you are… breathing the King’s air, reading this post.

The fear of death is always before us. So when the normal order gets thrown out of wack, we get real scared, real quick. Ultimately, we’re all afraid we’re gonna die.

Have you ever considered why?

I’m going to suggest you’re afraid of dying not because you’ll cease to exist but because instinctively you know after death comes judgement.

We’re going to be called to account. And like Adam and Eve, we all know we ain’t got no clothes on… we’re naked, standing before a Holy God.

But what if I told you, you don’t have to be afraid anymore? What if I told you there was a way to clothe your nakedness and shame? To stand before a Holy God; better yet, to approach his throne boldly as his son or daughter; wouldn’t you want to know how?

A conscience set at ease, relief from the weight of the death that’s ever before us and the judgement that will follow.

A knowledge that even if the electricity never comes back on or if I fail to draw my next breath and leave this world to face the coming judgement that I could do so with a mind set at perfect peace.

Well you can. Here’s how.

Love.

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”

1 John 4:18

You see that fear, that dread that’s always there in the back of your mind; it’s the result of not having or knowing the perfect love of the One who made you and who will ultimately judge you.

“Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

1 John 4:8

How is God love? How can we know love?

“16By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us”

1 John 3:16

That anxiety you’re always dealing with, it’s really just fear and it holds sway over you because you’re not at rest in the love of God that’s been shown to you in Jesus Christ.

After Adam and Eve ate that fruit, their eyes were opened, they realized they were naked. Then they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden and they too were afraid so they hid and tried to cover their nakedness.

And that’s what we do too.

We all know we’ve sinned. We’ve fallen short of God’s glory because of our disobedience. Because of our unbelief. We’ve all at one point or another heard his voice and we’ve all been terrified that when we come face to face with him, he’ll see we’re naked in our sins and we’ll face his judgement. And we will.

But here’s what a lot of us don’t know.

“But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”

Isaiah 53:5

After Adam and Eve tried to explain to God why they were naked did you know that God provided “skins” to cover them?

While they were still standing their naked the Lord is his goodness had already provided a covering for them.

That covering was Jesus Christ the Lord.

In order to provide skins, a covering for their nakedness, something had to shed it’s blood. Something had to die.

The Lamb of God, that is Jesus Christ, was slain; even before the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:8)

Before Adam and Eve were even in the garden. Before they chatted up that ole Snake. Before they ate that fruit and even knew they were naked, the Lord had slaughtered a Lamb to cover their nakedness.

And this is love.

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

– John 15:13

The love of God in Christ Jesus is the good news of his death and resurrection for the forgiving of our sins.

Do you believe this good news?

If not, why? What keeps you from believing? If you hear his voice, even now, proclaiming to you this good news, why do you harden your heart toward him?

What keeps you from believing that while you are still in your sins, God has already provided a covering for your nakedness? His own blood.

I’m going to suggest to you that you do not believe because you question if He really loves you personally. In spite of all your sin.

You look to your sin, your nakedness and you’re still afraid, still in unbelief that the good news of Jesus could really be that good.

As a man whose sin is ever before him I can tell you, it most certainly is that good. And if you would only believe this good news and abide in the love of God provided to you in Christ Jesus you would have his perfect peace.

That anxiety you’re constantly dealing with? That fear. In the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ once believed, it’ll vanish.

Believe me.

Believe Him.

Believe.

Believe the good news of Jesus Christ crucified and risen for the forgiving of your sins and so be saved. Know the love of Christ our Lord and approach his throne of grace boldly and you will find rest for your souls.

“¹³ By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴ And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. ¹⁵ Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. ¹⁶ So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. ¹⁷ By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. ¹⁹ We love because he first loved us.”

1 John 4:13-19

Grace and peace to you in Jesus’ name.