WATCHWORD:
“So, do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed,
for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10
Meditation:
Are You Afraid?
Fear. Fear hits us all, maybe differently in you or in me, but, nevertheless it’s part of our lives, it’s part of how we function in this complicated and difficult time of life.
What are you afraid of?
The disciples, crowded into that boat on the sea of Galilee, and in the midst of a storm, cried out in fear for their lives. They saw no way to be rescued. The storm was too fierce, the waves too high, the wind threatened to capsize the boat. Then, there was Jesus, coming to them, walking in the midst of their storm, and speaking to them in their fear, “Take heart, it is I, have no fear”. And the storm calmed, and the wind died to a gentle breeze, and they were saved. Is that your story?
What were those disciples afraid of? Their fear and anxiety was real. Yet, here was this man, Jesus, who had just fed the 5,000, who healed the sick and restored sight to the blind. Jesus came, and their fears and anxieties were gone.
As a psychologist, long removed from my studies, I’m still left with the conviction that an element of fear is with us, most likely, every day, in one form or another. The scriptures are all filled with reassurances. And yet, we read them as if we are reading a Hallmark greeting, rather than hearing God speak directly to us, and, then, actively following him. That is not an easy task. But, it does raise still another question: Do you believe what God reassures us through the Scriptures? Is that His voice you hear?
Can you picture an 11-year-old girl, standing at the volleyball line, about to serve for the first time in a game. Her anxiety, her fear is real and, in all likelihood, will be dispelled or compounded in a matter of seconds, right there on the court.
I was an 11-year-old-boy, new in a school, standing before a class filled with new classmates, so fearful as to be unable to speak or even read the Current Event in my hand, only to have the teacher ridicule me as I stood there! It would be years before Jesus came, in the midst of my storm, and dispelled that fear. Believe me, it is a real thing.
In John 14:27 we read: “My Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.” That is Jesus speaking. Jesus had no fortune to leave his followers, what he was giving them, and us, was far greater. “My Peace” is an untroubled heart, without fear. It is this kind of peace that we all need and we prayerfully strive for.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:34: “Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Do you worry? If you must worry, worry about those things that are before you today, things that we may have some control over. Jesus reminds us of the importance of living for the present day. Too often, the joy of the day is tainted by our regrets of yesterday, or our worry about tomorrow.
Too often, when we are fearful, we feel we are alone. But, the Word of God is both a command and a promise. The promise is that we are not alone. We are to wholly lean on Jesus’ name and know that He is with us.
Through it all, we are imperfect. We are humans, and as such we do worry, we let our hearts be troubled, and we do fear. The truth is that we are not very good at not worrying. Our sense of fear puts us on the defensive or we become angry. Anger leads to guilt. Guilt leads to alienation. Alienation prevents peace. But, the good news is that God knows all of that, and he loves us, and he hears us when we pile all of those fears and anxieties on him. When we do that, He stills our storms. It is important that in our faith, we believe.
Church signs of our times:
Plank Road Baptist: God wants full custody, not just weekend visits.
First Church of Awesome Works: How do we make Holy Water? We boil the hell out of it!
Cool Springs Methodist: Life is a maybe, death is for sure. Sin is the cause, Christ is the cure.
Psalm 91 as Closing Prayer:
Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. The Lord alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. He rescues me from every trap and protects me from deadly disease. He covers me with his feathers. He shelters me with his wings. His faithful promises are my armor and protection. I am not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. I do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand fall at my side, though ten thousand die around me, these evils will not touch me. I open my eyes, and see how the wicked are punished.
The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.” In your faith and in your believe, go in peace. Amen.
