As a teenager I remember fearing what my friends thought about me. I was afraid I would be made fun of or teased for something silly I said or did. This is a common feeling with teens to fear what peers think of them.
When we grow up and become adults, we often continue to fear others. We fear what they will say or what they will think about us, especially for our Christian beliefs.
In Psalm 118, we are reminded of God’s covenant promise. God is on our side. God is with his people. He is control of all things; the victory of a superior force is not absolute.
The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
Psalm 118:6
You might be thinking what about martyrs and people who are persecuted for their faith. Even in these situations, we do not need to fear, no action of a man can take away the eternal salvation and hope of the believer. Salvation is secured through the finished work of Jesus.
As I was thinking about this verse, I remembered other verses about God’s protection. Jesus is described as the Lion of Judah (Revelation 5:5), in Isaiah the Lord of hosts is compared to a lion (Isaiah 31:4) protecting his people, and in Hosea the Lord will roar like a lion for protection (Hosea 11:10).
Throughout the Old and New Testaments God is characterized as a powerful lion protecting his people from enemies. A lion is one of the fiercest animals in the planet. Have you gone to a zoo? The other animals don’t mess with the lion, although the lion often appears restful and watching. Did you know a lion’s roar can be heard from 5 miles away? That’s a powerful roar.
The next time you fear “man” (or any person), remember you have the boldest, loudest beast of the fields watching over you. You have the Lion of Judah is protecting you. With his protection, what do you have to fear?
