16th - 22nd June 2025
Fearless
There are certain characters in the Bible that I think about maybe once or twice a year—Mary and Joseph are some of them. Once the Christmas lights go away, these two characters go to live with them in the attic of my mind, waiting for next year to be taken out, unraveled, and reconsidered. This year, however, is different—not only because we left the lights up out of laziness, but because of a song by a dude called Chris Renzema. Aptly named Mary & Joseph, it is a song about the characters themselves. The song speaks of the decision to accept and obey the will of the Father. It spoke to me in a way that I was not expecting. It spoke to me of the fearlessness of Mary and Joseph—to set aside all their life plans, wedding plans and family plans to live the life that the LORD called them to, even if it was pretty scary.
Now, I always thought of being fearless as being without fear, which I suppose it still is. But as I consider these characters and many more, I feel that fearlessness is more than just being without fear. How many times do these characters get told, “Do not be afraid”? I’m no emotional expert, but I suspect that this phrase didn’t just remove the fear within these men and women. What I do see consistently is that these characters go on to act and be used in their fear.
This week I want to encourage you to be fearless—fearless in the sense of being without fear where we can but, more importantly, fearless in the sense of acting in Christ regardless of fear.
Written by Josh Garnham
MONDAY
Fearless in life
But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
1 Thessalonians 4
LORD, fearlessness is rarely in the big things, but rather in the small everyday things. And in a time where the loudest and most shocking get the attention, I pray you give us the fearlessness to live a quiet life—to work hard so that our lives may go against what this world knows and that the world instead sees you in us.
TUESDAY
Fearless in death
Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. 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, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”
Revelation 1
LORD, we know how we got onto this earth, and through Christ we know how we are going to get off it. As your children, with a Father who, through the death and resurrection of your Son, holds the keys to death. Help us to be fearless as we face the certainty of death. Fearless because we know where we are going, fearless because we know the one who holds the keys to death and fearless because you have died for us. May we mourn with those who are mourning but may our hope in you outlive the pain.
WEDNESDAY
Fearless in witness
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.
2 Timothy 1
LORD, as if grace and mercy weren’t enough, you have allowed us to join in the working out of your power, authority and gospel. Grow in us power, love and self-control so that we may be unashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Give us the obedience to listen, to act and to live a life that pleases you.
THURSDAY
Fearless in love
By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
1 John 4
LORD, your command is simple: love you and love our neighbour. That can play out harder at times, but our prayer is that you give us love like your love—love that takes away fear, love that allows our relationship with you to flourish. May we love like this so our relationships with others flourish, so they can be fearless with us and know that they need not fear you if they pick up the cross and follow.
FRIDAY
Fearless of evil
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot. “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
Psalm 91
LORD, may we know your power and authority in our lives today. When a thousand fall at our side, may we look to the one thing that stands above it all—the cross. Lead us to a life where we fight the good fight, where we tread on the lion and claim the victory in your name. Evil is everywhere, but greater is He within us than what lies in the world.
SATURDAY
Fearless in doubt
And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
Mark 9
LORD, how often have you grown faith in times of doubt. It took Peter to get out of the boat to know what he believed would happen. My doubt hits when I begin to believe that it’s somehow me doing the work, providing and delivering. That’s when I take my eyes off Jesus and start looking at the waves. In those moments, LORD—in those seeds of doubt—my prayer is that of the father in Mark: I believe; help my unbelief!
SUNDAY
Fearless of the world
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28
Father, you made the cosmos; you spoke it into existence. You put the food on our table and the breath in our lungs. The world crumbles when it looks from you to itself—we’ve seen it before, we will see it again. Give us love for the souls within this world—not love for what they do, but love for who they are, a gift from you, knitted together by you. I pray, LORD, that you will raise us up to go out into this nation and all nations and to tell of the good news of the death and resurrection of Jesus, and to prepare this world for his coming back.