The Other Four Days

     I have heard for years that there are 365 verses in the Bible telling us not to be afraid, one for each day of the year. But according to Strong's online concordance, there are actually 361. What about the other four days? Are we ever commanded to be afraid? Actually, we are--four times. I began this curious quest after I noticed a command in Romans 11:20 referring to the Gentiles being grafted into the plan of salvation,
   "Granted. they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid."

     That began a brief (because I am lazy) search for other references to be afraid. I found one a few chapter away in Romans 13. In that passage, Paul is teaching believers submission to the governing authorities. Verse 4 says,
    "For he is God's servant to do you good. but if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the
 sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer."

     I will spare the reader (I probably have one) my comments on how American Christians seemed to have forgotten the above concept, and go on to Matthew 10, where Jesus has been warning the disciples he is sending out to expect betrayal and persecution, mostly he is telling them not to be afraid, but in verse 28 he says,
   "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One
 who can destroy both soul and body in hell."
   That means it is okay to have a healthy fear of Satan.

     Admittedly, this last reference may be cheating because God is not directly telling his people to be afraid. In Jeremiah 2, God's message is a lament of the fickle faith of his chosen and lavishly loved  people. In verse 12, He commands,

   "Be appalled at this, O heavens, and shudder with great horror," declares the Lord.

     For one thing, He uses the word appalled instead of afraid and the command is to creation, not man. But if the heavens, who are entirely innocent of the fickle faith thing, are supposed to be appalled, it would probably be a good idea for God's people, who are prone to wander, to be fairly fearful also.
     So now you know what to do with your time off from the command to fear not. It is okay to be fearful the other four days. Just make sure you are fearing the right thing.