“Fear not… be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done marvelous things!” – Joel 2:21
The most repeated command in the Bible is not only “Fear not”, but also “Be happy and joyful”. This exactly is the theme which Prophet Joel is exhorting the people of Israel. He is calling on them to repent and return to the Lord with all their hearts to experience the great deliverance which He had promised them and in turn be filled with joy and gladness.
Let’s focus a little more on fear. Nobody in this world is immune to fear! So, when God commands us not to fear, what does He want us to do? He certainly wants us to meditate and hold on to our personal promises which He has given us, until we experience the paralyzing effects of fear fading away and the courage of God replacing it! That’s only when we can experience real joy in every circumstance of life.
“Only he who can say, “The Lord is the strength of my life” can say, “Of whom shall I be afraid?” – Alexander Maclaren