This passage was God's warning to the Israelites that if they looked to other nations for protection against their enemies, they would be destroyed. The Lord told His people that if they would fear Him only, and not man, they need fear nothing else because He would be their safety. With all the things in our world today that pose a threat to us, how could God expect us to live free from fear? We begin to understand when we read verse 11: "Do not think like everyone else does." If we think like the world, we will have the same fears, and ultimately, we will seek safety apart from God. Once we do that, we forfeit the divine protection He offers us.

When we feel afraid, we need to ask ourselves what it is that we are afraid of. More than likely, it's a person or persons. Proverbs 29:25 says, "Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe." The phrase, "fear of man," doesn't have to refer to our being afraid of someone harming us. Most often, it refers to our fearing man's disapproval. If we allow another person to influence our decisions, apart from God's will, we will not only sacrifice God's best for us, but our safety as well. Is there someone whose disapproval you're afraid of? Perhaps it's a family member, friend, teacher, or pastor. Whoever it is, remember that it is only God's disapproval that we should fear, not man's. In everything that concerns you, obey God and let Him take care of the consequences. In Galatians 1:10, the apostle Paul writes, "Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." My prayer today is that you will always seek God's approval, rather than man's. When you do, you can be sure that you'll be safe in the arms of a loving and mighty God!

Prayer: Lord, I ask today that You change my heart and renew my mind so that I will no longer "think like everyone else does". Help me to fear Your disapproval more than that of others from now on. Help me to do it out of a love for You, rather than a fear of the consequences. Thank You for keeping me safe and enabling me to live a fearless life!