Fear not

The bunyip, a large mythical creature from Australian Aboriginal mythology, is said to lurk in swamps, billabongs, creeks and waterholes. It is a creature that instills fear and dread and the word bunyip is usually translated today as “devil” or “evil spirit”. As in the true intent of myth we are not dealing with fairy tales or creative imagination but with symbols and story that point to a deeper reality in our lives. The bunyip for me symbolises the many different forms that fear can lurk and manifest in our journey. As children we are afraid of the dark or being abandoned, as youth we are afraid of ridicule and rejection and as we grow older we can fear change, failure, shame and loss of health, wealth and relationships. The healthy response to the bunyips in our lives is not to try and fight them or cower in their presence but to draw near to God who is always bigger than what we fear and with every step of our journey quietly says, “ do not be afraid for I am with you.”