April 28
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister." - 1 John 4:18-21 (NIV)
Many situations evoke fear. We lived in a fear filled culture with a media that often increases fear by starting nightly news programs with fear provoking situations. Even though a storm may be nowhere near, the nightly newscast often portrays it as a current national disaster affecting everyone. Yet if we are ever afraid of the future, present, or past we can remind ourselves of God's love. We know he loves us perfectly. We can resolve our fears most effectively by first focusing on his immeasurable love for us, and then allowing Christ to love others through us. Only God's love and assurance of protection can ever truly quiet our fears and give us confidence. Finally, we can rest assured John is correct when he says, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear".
However, in many unstable fearful situations including attacks or terrorist threats, we can act unwisely in ways that hurt others. Fear can spread like wildfire then causing great harm as fear of Jews did in Nazi Germany. Yet God's love is the source of all human love, and it too can spread like wildfire. In loving us, God kindles a flame in our hearts. We can then love others, warmed by God's love in us. It is easy to say we love God when it doesn't cost anything more than church attendance. But the real test of our love for God is how we treat the people around us in our family, community, and country. We cannot truly love God if we neglect to protect all those God created in his image, including those who act or look different from us.
Prayer:
Lord,
Free me from Fear with perfect love.
Amen.
Meditation For The Day:
Fear can kill. Love can heal.
Brief Devotions For Busy Lives: Daily Spring Renewal (Seasonal Devotionals) Paperback – February 21, 2017
Used with permission of the family of the late Rev. Dr. Mary B. Johnson.
Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson, D.Min., (1942-2018)
Mary was Ordained in 1975.
She served both as a Parish Pastor and in multiple Specialized Ministry Settings.
She worked on the Clinical Staff of New England Memorial Hospital and Middleton Pastoral
Counseling Center in Massachusetts and was a Director of Green Pastures Counseling Centers in N.H.
She was a state Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor,
Nationally Board-Certified Counselor (N.C.C.), and Nationally Certified Pastoral Counselor (AAPC)
and held certification as a Clinical Member of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (A.C.P.E.).
She received a Doctor of Ministry Degree in Psychology and Clinical Studies
from Andover Newton in Newton, MA.
Dr. Johnson also founded Good News Specialized Ministries, Inc.
This unique ministry provided education and Clinical Christian Counseling to thousands of people over the decades and trained numerous Clinical Counselors and Counseling Ministers while offering weekly non-denominational worship services to the community for more than 20 years.
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I had the honor and privilege of working with Pastor Arnie Johnson
when I served as the pastor for the Richmond Community United Methodist Church in Richmond, NH from 2019 - 2022.
I personally have been deeply touched by Mary's writings. Her family has graciously allowed me to share them with you. - Pastor Sharon Sargent
"I always considered my ministry at Richmond as a shared ministry. Mary had the expertise that helped me function as well as I did. I received critiques on the way home after the services. I finally realized that I may have “arrived” when one day she was pleased with my performance with no critique! That took several years! So, I would love it if you would use the picture of the two of us and mention Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson as my spouse and partner in ministry, and she continued to be until the day she died, four days before the end of my appointment at Richmond." - Pastor Arnie Johnson
Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson is the author of eight other published books including:
"Activating The Power Of Pastoral Care: A Team Approach";
"Brief Devotions For Busy Lives: Daily Spring/Summer/Fall/Winter Renewal"(Vol.1-4);
"Flying Free: Transforming Grief and Loss into Renewal";
Following The Angel Trail: In The Steps Of Jesus";
"Love In Action: The Healing Heritage Of The Counseling Ministry Of The Church";
"Visions Of Hope: Voices Of Americana";
"Healing Streams: Journeys Of Healing".
She has also been published in the AAPC professional Journal "Journeys" and in the Keene Sentinel.