WATCHWORD:
1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Where can I go and meet with God?
11 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
Psalm 42:1-2,11
Meditation:
Fear Is Not Peace
With God, our fear doesn’t stand a chance!
Fifteen years ago I wrote an essay on fear, including this paragraph: “We are humans, we all experience fear in some form or another; for our own safety, sometimes the fear is of the unknown, or comes out of our worry about tomorrow. We hear plenty of scripture passages that say to us do not fear, and certainly do not worry about tomorrow… What about holy fear? The kind of fear that God implants in us that guides us closer to him?”
That thought, or Holy Fear, stayed with me through the week and informed my reading of Acts 2:1-4, where we read about Pentecost. “Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm and it filled the house where they were sitting…what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.” All that would be fearful enough, but then they were filled with the holy spirit. Which was all part of God’s purpose, His plan.
I kept thinking about that, then one evening I watched Pastor Robert Morris, who seemed to dedicate his broadcast talking specifically to me (As a psychologist, the technical term for personalizing a public broadcast is “Baloney”). Anyway, it seemed like he was speaking directly to me, making three points:
- “Stop listening to yourself!” Pastor Morris explained that is where so much of our worry and stress comes from our own ‘worry-voice’. It’s okay to have concerns about health, and to take special care and stay safe. But, when our worry and our stress spreads to others; spouse, children, grandchildren, friends, then it becomes a problem. Look at your prayer list. Is it a worry list that you’re carrying to God? Or is it one where we truly surrender and trust the Lord?
- “Start talking to yourself!” Here is the point: Don’t discourage yourself. Talk reassurance, positives, the fact that God is in charge, that God loves us and that we will get through this, whatever it is. That’s a litany we need to follow. Something like; ‘Thank you dear Heavenly Father I really appreciate all this good time that we have. I feel like my faith and belief has been strengthened. Thank you, God’.
- Get with God. Rest in the awareness that when we look to God, it changes us. We don’t know how that change will affect us when this is all over, we just know that it will be positive. And the reason we know that it will be positive is that God is always faithful, and each of us knows that.
Pastor Morris suggested something to all of us: In your prayer-life simply ask the Holy Spirit, “What are you saying to me?” Then, listen to what direction is he giving you. Listen carefully, for the Voice of the Spirit is subtle, a gentle whisper. Pray for health and safety. Pray for guidance so that you know if it is time for you to reach out to others. Don’t forget to lift up your loved ones.
Final point — Keep it clearly in mind, dear friends, that your personal fear does not stand a chance against what God can do. While His Holy Fear is critical to our Walk with Jesus. May it be so with you.
Gentle Reminder:
But you, are my first choice,
descendants of my good friend Abraham.
I pulled you in from all over the world,
called you in from every dark corner of the earth,
Telling you, ‘You are serving on my side.
I’ve picked you. I haven’t dropped you.’
Don’t panic. I’m with you.
There’s no need to fear for I’m your God.
I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you.
I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you, always.
Isaiah 41:9-10
Passing thoughts from the pandemic:
Daily smile: This time we all had made me realize I have no real hobbies besides going out to eat and spending money.
Or, maybe this: I finally understand why dogs get so excited when they see an open door.
Forget streaming: The quarantine is long gone. Streaming was a poor substitute for fellowship worship. There’s a pew calling you.
Closing Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, I pray for the strength to be thankful for today and the moment, to enjoy the now in the midst of challenges, and to thank God for his favor and grace. Lord, help me to focus on what the Holy Spirit is doing in my life and drowned out the voices of evil. Praise God, I am not alone in my fight against fear; I have the Holy Spirit and the angels. The Holy Spirit and the angels are standing with me and in me. Thank you, Lord, for the “one-step victories” in my life, not perfect obedience, not perfect performance, not human perfect peace, not my righteousness, but the righteousness by faith in Jesus and his grace. I thank you, Jesus, that you make allowance for my weaknesses failures, sins, doubts, unbelief, and when fear controls my thoughts and actions. Help me to reject arguing or debating with the devil, my flesh, and my guilty conscience and fall upon the love, grace, mercy, peace, and the righteousness of Jesus who is our shield and redeemer. Thank you, Lord, for helping me overcome and deliver me from my fear. Help me to be as wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove. May your Holy Will be done in my life. Amen.
