The Name that Charms Our Fears
Good morning, Immanuel. Jesus gives us peace unlike anything the world offers.
“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last" (Revelation 1:17).
In the third verse of the great hymn, “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing,” by Charles Wesley, there is a line that declares:
Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
that bids our sorrows cease.
If this were anyone else but Jesus, it would be frustrating–the person who tells us, “Don’t worry, everything is fine,” when everything is not, in fact, fine. Or worse, it would be the person who denies our fears and sorrows and tells us to buck up and get over it. But this isn’t the case with Jesus.
Jesus doesn’t deny or dismiss our worries or pains; he comforts and heals them. He invites us to bring our burdens to him, and he will give us rest. (Matthew 11:28) Jesus gives us peace unlike anything the world offers. (John 14:27) He promised to send his Spirit–his very presence–to be with us as helper and comforter (John 16) so that we never lack the help we need in times of worry, sorrow, and pain.
Jesus was “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” (Isaiah 53:3) He knows our weaknesses and struggles because he experienced them. (Hebrews 4:15) And the name of Jesus charms our fears and bids our sorrows cease because in him is the assurance of perfect peace and comfort–both now and for all eternity.
As we seek the Lord for a long-term home in Nashville, join us in praying for 60 days. God loves to hear and answer our prayers. Listen now on the Immanuel Podcast. You may also want to join us in person every Friday morning at Immanuel from 6 to 7 a.m. in the cafe.
