Holy assurance

2 Samuel 9:7 (Berean Study Bible)

Do not be afraid.

Of all the words spoken by Christ in the bible, these seem to be the most frequent. Why doesn't the Lord say something like, "I love you" or "You are forgiven" or something else more often? It's because the one thing that terrifies humankind more than anything else is judgment and condemnation. Even atheists who refuse to believe God are afraid of becoming irrelevant or obsolete. The one thing that reassures the soul more than anything else is that God is on their side. In that context the words, "Do not be afraid" are worth more than their weight in gold.