Whom Shall I Fear?

Are you afraid?

Sure, we all are. Afraid of the dark. Afraid of snakes. Afraid of failure, success, or mediocrity. We all fear something. But that's not what I'm talking about, and you know it. Today I'm talking about the world financial situation and again I ask, are you afraid?

The DJIA experienced its worst one day drop in history today, over 1,000 points. Yes, it recovered, then fell again to end the day down 588. This after losing 531 points last Friday, and triple digit losses the days prior to that. Markets all over the world are falling, shedding trillions--yes, trillions--of dollars of value/wealth. Financial doom and gloom may very well be on the horizon.

Should we be afraid?

It is going to happen.

One of these days, all of your wealth--stocks and bonds, IRAs and 401Ks, real estate and the cash in your mattress--will be worthless. I can say this with absolute confidence because all of these things are temporary. None of it will last. Not one single cent.

I do not have the foggiest idea when this will happen, but it will. The Bible says so, over and over. In the end, nothing of this world endures. It all burns. Its all destroyed. If that is where your confidence, your hopes and dreams lie, you should be afraid. Very afraid.

You are going to live forever.

No, this isn't some corny fortune-cookie reading. This is Biblical truth. Everyone lives, or at least exists, forever. Your soul is eternal. It cannot be destroyed, extinguished, or annihilated. For time without end, that part of you which is truly you--your soul--will be.  This is God's truth, not mine.

The question, then, is not if you will be, but rather where. You will be with God, or you will be without God. The deciding factor between those two options? Jesus Christ. Oh, and the old saying is right--You can't take anything with you.

Now that is something to fear. 

I fear God.

If you are so inclined, open a Bible and read in the Book of Luke, Chapter 12, verses 4 and 5.  Not a light reading, is it? In fact, in light of eternity in hell, how my retirement portfolio is performing doesn't seem quite so important anymore. A thousand point drop in the Dow is inconsequential. All of the sudden, I don't fear the bankers, the lenders, the government. I don't fear wealth, or poverty, or anything else. In fact, all that matters is God.  The only one I need to fear is Him.

And that is whom I fear.

Do you?