What Are You Afraid Of?

Is this question too personal? I'll tell you if you tell me. These are some scarecrow pictures I took this fall in neighboring yards. Farmers have been making scarecrows for more than 3,000 years. They were used along the Nile river to scare quail. Here are some other names for scarecrows: mommet, hodmedod, tatie bogle. These names are hilariously whimsical! Of course, scarecrows don't work because crows are way too smart. Eventually they perch on the arms and caw sarcastically. Farmers today use other, more modern methods. Why did the scarecrow win the Nobel Prize? Because he was "out standing" in his field. What is a scarecrow's favorite fruit? "Straw"berries. What are your fears? I have many. My fears have changed over the years; do you find that's been true for you? Now I'm afraid of heights, spiders, and germs. It seems that a lot of people are afraid of the wrong things. Things that we really should be afraid of, we're not. Men probably need more fear and women less. Did you know that Psalm 147:11 says that "The Lord delights in those who fear Him." and Psalm 25:14 even says that "The Lord confides in those who fear Him." Wow. Even better than that, Psalm 103:11 says "As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him." This is a fear we really need to think about, a wonderful kind of fear that protects us and helps ensure our eternal life. And God actually tells us that when we fear Him, we need fear nothing else. Read this georgous passage from Isaiah 43:1"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;I have summoned you by name;you are mine."