Fame and fortune are just not what they're cracked up to be. Exhibits: Al and Tipper Gore, Sandra Bullock and former husband Jesse James, etc. No amount of money or acclaim can assure anyone protection from disappointment, sorrow, illness and, ultimately, death which the Greek poet Euripides said is, "The debt we all must pay."

For some the inevitability of death, and the mistaken notion that this life is all there is, urges them to cram as many pleasures as possible into their lives; experiences that may be moral or , if that doesn't do the trick, immoral. Hey; What ever it takes. They must be constantly involved and in motion. To slow down, to think about where they are going and why they exist might cause them to face the fact that they are mortal like everyone else and they will have to "pay the price." This activity, this never-ending search for pleasure erroneously referred to as "living life to the fullest," can be compared to a duck gliding smoothly on the surface of the water but out of sight beneath the water his feet are churning furiously. How often that could be applied to men and women, of all ages, who seem to have it all together on the outside but inside are frightened children, dismayed and disappointed in their fruitless search for meaning, love, peace and satisfaction. They desperately struggle to find them in drugs and/or at the bottom of a bottle; looking for love and security in all the wrong places. One of the descriptions of Ernest Hemingway, the famous author, included that he knew how to "live life to the fullest." Yet, he was plagued by self-doubt and spiritual bankruptcy and so finally committed suicide.

No one has to have my permission to live however they wish. I haven't done the best job with my own life. But I would suggest that no life can truly be full if the fear of death is constantly lurking nearby. Hiding that fear in the shadows doesn't erase the reality of death. Wouldn't it be immeasurably better to be free from fear? To have a real sense of security in whatever situation that comes against us? To know that whether in life or death we belong to Christ?
Of course.

Real security is formed neither in our physical nor in our emotional being; it was formed in our spiritual being when we accepted the free gift of God in Christ's sacrifice at the Cross. Unfortunately, after we have accepted this precious gift we may not have known what to do next. Too often we are cast adrift without true biblical teaching, directions for study, fellowship with mature Christians or an understanding of the spiritual gifts that came with our salvation. We may not have been told, taught or found for ourselves in the Scriptures that we have been set free in Christ. "If the Son sets you free you are free indeed." Part of that promise is the freedom from fear. "God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind." Time after time Jesus said, "Fear not." ("Don't be afraid.")

Listen to St. Paul, "Since we, God's children, are human beings--made of flesh and blood--he became flesh and blood too by being born in human form; for only as a human being could he die and in dying break the power of the devil who had the power of death. Only in that way could he deliver those who through fear of death have been living lives as slaves to constant dread." Hebrews 2:14, 15 LB

Read Romans:8:31-39. Here are verses 35-39 LB:
"Who then can ever keep Christ's love from us? When we have trouble or calamity, when we are hunted down and destroyed, is it because he doesn't love us anymore? And if we are hungry, or penniless, or in danger, or threatened with death, has God deserted us?
"No, for the Scriptures tell us that for his sake we must be ready to face death every moment of the day----we are like sheep awaiting slaughter; but despite all this, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us enough to die for us. For I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels won't and all the powers of hell itself cannot keep God's love away. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, or where we are---high above the sky, or in the deepest ocean---nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God demonstrated by our Lord Jesus Christ when he died for us."

Freedom and security; Christ died so you and I could have them. We must not drive more spikes into Christ by refusing what his blood has bought. Freedom and security; they're a package deal. Please; don't be timid of spirit. Grab the package and run! It's yours. Embrace it in your spirit as the ancient Rabbis would dance with the Torah! To God be the glory.