The Bible is a collection of writings by lots of different people written over maybe a thousand years, from a number of centuries before Jesus to a century after Jesus. I often like to refer to it as "the Scriptures" to make that point about it being lots of writings that were originally separate. What these writings have in common is that "the Old Testament" is writings that grabbed the Jewish people; writings that convinced them that they were God's word to them. And "the New Testament" is writings that grabbed people who believed in Jesus in the same way.

God has been working at a purpose to have a good world. That he's spoken to people and explained things so that we can understand what he's been doing and is going to do and can come to understand ourselves. And that he wants to hear from us.

The psalm (Psalm 56) hints at the recognition that fear and trust may coexist. The life of faith is then one in which we live in trust even if we also know fear. Perhaps, indeed, trust only exists in the presence of fear.

The Bible is a collection of writings by lots of different people written over maybe a thousand years, from a number of centuries before Jesus to a century after Jesus. I often like to refer to it as "the Scriptures" to make that point about it being lots of writings that were originally separate. What these writings have in common is that "the Old Testament" is writings that grabbed the Jewish people; writings that convinced them that they were God's word to them. And "the New Testament" is writings that grabbed people who believed in Jesus in the same way.