Telos Agape Phobos

In 1st John 4:18b we hear in the Greek "Telos Agape Phobos" perfect love drives away fear. There are a ton of things to be frightened of in the world. Yet knowing God loves me, allows and encourages me to go out into the world and reflect the love. God's love is so perfect, it provides a feeling of peace when the odds are totally against there being peace in that moment.

Imagine during a hurricane, a 5 year old calls out from the bed “Mommy! Mommy! Mommy, I'm scared!”

And gliding into the room with her bathrobe trailing like a cape on a super hero, mom's there
offering words of comfort. Soon the tears subside, even as the storm winds pull gutters from the house with the creaking and slamming noise of metal tearing and smashing making it seem as if the whole wall was going to give way and the rain would drive into the room. Mom is there, holding on to her child, and a feeling of peace washes over the child, even though the hurricane rages on against the house.

This is the power of God's perfect love, telos agape phobos, God's perfect love drives away our terror and fear and frees us to do amazing things.

• To love an addict by confronting them and holding them accountable
• To love family and friends by standing vigil at a bedside in the valley of the shadow of death
• To love others by volunteering even you're not sure you have the time

The energy for this love does not come from within, it does not flow because of what we know
God's love flows abundantly because God is pure love