Fear not, Because of God's Vision

Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. (Acts 27:24 ESV)

The angel gives Paul strange comfort.

The angel might have been expected to say something about frying pans and fires.

A terrifying Northeast Wind had been savaging the ship on which Paul was traveling. I’ve been in one sort-of-storm at sea, and a few storms at lake. The wind, waves, and flying fish are frightening. One feels out of control. It’s often dark, disorienting, and dank.

Certainly, the angel’s promise pf preserved life was good news. No doubt Paul and his companions were able to trust that calm was coming, the storm would end, and they would live. But the angel does not blandly say, “all will be well.” Because Paul was on his way to Caesar.

In a way particularly relevant at sea, Paul was being told that God saw both the waves and the horizon. While we often have our eyes focused on the immediate crisis, God’s promises reach further than the urgent.

The angel did not even mention whether Paul would live through the Caesar experience. Paul knew that God’s plans were far-reaching. Paul could see that the gospel was on its way to the Roman Senate… through him.

At the risk of mixing metaphors, Paul wasn’t just shown the light at the end of THIS tunnel. He was shown that a bigger tunnel remained.

On a given day, at a given moment, I am able to focus on the details or on the big picture. Rarely am I able to see both at the same time. But God can. The tiny details and the entire tapestry are equally before Him.

And this is comforting.

Fear not, because of God’s vision.

Fear Not, Because It Is Jesus

The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they were glad to take him into the boat (John 6:18-21 ESV)

It was a dark and stormy night. The disciples were rowing across the storm-tossed waves of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had not yet calmed a storm for them, so perhaps they already would have been a little afraid from the weather. They were fishermen and knew how dangerous traveling across the Sea in a rowboat could be.

But then something REALLY scary happened. Walking on the Sea, as if it were a landscape of rolling hills instead of rolling waves, was apparently a human. I’ve always imagined Him glowing mysteriously, but there is no Biblical evidence of this.

The laws of physics were being broken right before the disciples’ eyes!

This was weird. This was crazy. They were frightened.

Jesus reaches the boat and says the most scary frightening thing. He hints that He is God. He says, “I am,” making a reference to God’s answer to Moses about who God is (Exodus 3:14.)

Jesus makes that claim quite a few times. Eventually the Jewish leaders take His hints and attempt to stone Jesus for the blasphemy of it.

I think Jesus’ disciples knew what He meant and are glad to hear it. Not only is the apparition strolling on the stormy Galilean Sea not a ghost, or a demon, or an alien, or something too strange to comprehend… but Jesus tells them that it is God Himself. The God they know and love. The God they know and trust. The God they know and believe.

What could possibly be scary when you’re hanging around in a boat with God? With Abba? With the Redeemer? With the One who had been gracious to Adam and Eve? With the One who had loved Jacob? With the One who had made little David a King? With the One who had forgiven and forgiven and forgiven?

And we can ask ourselves the same question. Only for us it is even more obvious. God Himself became man himself so that we can know that while He is holy, He is not so distant. So that we can see that He understands us. So that we can grasp that He is much more like us than the pillars of fire and smoke seems to indicate. We are hanging around in our boat with Jesus.

It is a dark and stormy night. But look! Jesus is here.

Fear not, because it is Jesus.

Fear Not, Because You Seek Him

But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. (Matthew 28:5)

Last week I discovered that I had made a big mistake. For a Christmas ‘gift’ last year, I finally moved a HUGE hollowed concrete block and dug it a few feet down into the ground, making a planter out of the remains of an old construction project. But I had holes for draining drilled in the wrong part, in the wrong way, at the wrong angle. So it wouldn’t work as a planter after all.

I can hear some of you excusing me. “Your intentions were right,” you might say. “You meant well,” we smile. “You TRIED…” I hear.

But we know that those kindly statements don’t hold water (pun intended.) My good intentions do not make the planter usable. Intentions don’t matter as much as actions.

But while this might be true regarding concrete planters, the angel speaking to the women outside of Jesus’ empty tomb comfort them with one “good intention.”

Those women had plenty of reasons to be afraid. They had lost Jesus. The Jewish leaders were winning the fight. The lives Mary and Mary had given up to follow Him were probably irretrievable. And all of that was BEFORE they felt the earthquake, saw heavenly light blaze, and saw an actual ANGEL.

But that angel put things in perspective for them. He tells Mary and Mary that because they seek Jesus, they have no reason to fear.

That articulate angel is preaching a profound sermon right there.

He took the physical act of Mary and Mary arriving at the tomb and turned it into an amazing truth. They physically sought Him because they were already living their lives seeking Him.

They had believed in Him. They had followed Him. They had publicly professed their Faith. They desired to hear every Word He said. They desired to know what He taught. They both literally and figuratively followed Him.

They were Christians.

And because of THAT, Mary and Mary had nothing to fear.

Seeking Jesus is the solution to every trouble and problem and issue and fear that we have. Seeking Jesus means always wonderingly wondering what He is up to, even in our pain. Seeking Jesus means knowing that He DOES reign, even when we can’t see how. Seeking Jesus means trusting that He is the weaver behind the tapestry of our lives. Seeking Jesus means believing Him.

And the result of seeking Jesus means we lose sight of those things we fear. The result of seeking Jesus means that even when those things we fear are as frightening as angels, we can wait through them. The result of Seeking Jesus means that we’re too busy to be afraid.

When we intend to seek Jesus, THAT intention matters.

Fear not, because you seek Jesus.

Fear Not, Because of His Kingdom

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27)

In eighth grade I was presented with the magic of Litmus Paper. I capitalized those words because the magic of Litmus Paper still astonishes me. A drop or two of a particular liquid, placed on Litmus Paper, could be declared Acidic, or Base. I was never sure WHY I needed to know that. But the fact that I COULD was very important to my budding scientific mind.

These statements about peace are a part of Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer. Toward the end of His earthly ministry, He acts succinctly as the High Priest of His people and brings us before the throne of His Heavenly Father. During His prayer, he contrasts His Kingdom with the world seven times.

That contrast is obviously important.

While we often yearn to be included and inclusive, be tolerated and tolerate, be welcomed and welcome, Jesus draws a pretty sharp line between His kingdom and the world.

It almost sounds like the beginning of a joke: “There are two kinds of people in the world…” But it is not really very funny.

One of the differences between His Kingdom and the world is that His kingdom brings peace and ends trouble and fear for the hearts of His people, while the world does not bring those things.

Jesus presents a litmus test. A way to know what Kingdom we are in. And while I never understand why I needed to know Acid or Base, I do know why I need to know my citizenship.

Jesus’ Kingdom brings peace. His Kingdom ends troubled and fearful hearts.

If I am living in fear, my feet are standing in the wrong Kingdom. It’s a Litmus Test.

But it is not a Litmus Test intended to make me feel guilty. If I find myself afraid, the solution is not to add yet another fear. The solution comes from noticing that my fear is caused by my feet standing in the wrong Kingdom, and choosing to embrace Jesus’ embrace.

If I like my fear or enjoy a troubled heart; or if I don’t mind worrying, then I can keep my feet where they are.

But Jesus tells His disciples (and us) of a better place for my feet. I can stand in HIS Kingdom and have peace.

Fear not, because of His Kingdom.

Fear Not, Follow Him

And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. (Luke 5:10c,11 ESV)

Simon (later Peter) had just seen a shocking thing. His fishing nets had gone from empty to full. And he was afraid. Jesus’ gift of the fish appropriately drove Simon to repentance. He was overwhelmed with God’s power, wielded by Jesus before Simon’s eyes. Simon’s focus went inward to an awareness of his unworthiness of the gift, and his unworthiness to even be in the presence of Jesus.

Wow, Jesus doesn’t encourage Simon in the resulting fear. We expect Jesus to agree with Simon’s fear. We expect a lecture about the goodness of Simon’s fear of God’s present power. We expect Jesus to smile approvingly as Simon transfers all of his fear from Fear of Evil to Fear of God.

Simon spent the night in growing fear. His empty nets meant economic disaster. His empty nets meant shame as a professional. His empty nets meant family crisis. His empty nets meant hunger.

But it was not Jesus’ intent to transfer Simon’s fear from THOSE fears to a similar fear of God.

Jesus wanted to remove Simon’s fear altogether.

He wanted Simon’s fears changed into peace. He wanted Simon’s fears changed into hope. He wanted Simon’s fears changed into witness.

Being Jesus, He won.

Jesus’ Words, and Simon’s discipleship display Jesus’ answer to Simon’s fear.

Simon didn’t even need to fear God!

Not because Simon was so cool. But because Jesus changes ALL fear into peace, hope, and witness. EVEN the fear we might have of God. Even the fear that we SHOULD have of God.

I know that is a big pill to swallow.

But it is the essence of the gospel.

Fear not, follow Him.

Fear Not, Speak God's Word

And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions. Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house. (Ezekiel 2:6,7 ESV)

When we have a task, we commonly fear failure. Ezekiel was told to bring God’s Word to the people. And apparently, he had two reactions. First, he figured he was not going to succeed. And second, he was afraid.

Ezekiel was making a mistake we often share. He misunderstood his task. He was not sent by God to change the minds and hearts of God’s people. He was (only) sent to present God’s Word to them.

That’s still a big task. God’s Word can be complicated. And the importance of bringing God’s Word makes it a heavy burden.

But God doesn’t expect Ezekiel to succeed. Ezekiel cannot change anyone’s heart. Only the Spirit of God can do that. God doesn’t demand (of Ezekiel) that the Jews in exile (Ezekiel’s audience) become loyal, obedient, or righteous. God only asks Ezekiel to speak. To say what God tells him. To do the job in front of his face.

And so he was afraid. Ezekiel was afraid of failing. Ezekiel was afraid of finding that the people actually grew worse. Ezekiel was afraid of disappointing God.

Today, it seems like we are losing the culture war. It seems like we are losing the war of worldviews. It seems like we are losing debates that Christianity used to win. It seems like the church’s bringing of God’s Word is becoming more ineffective.

But those are no reason to fear and freeze. We are walking through briers and thorns. We sit on scorpions. But the words of God’s enemies have no power. They are lovers of lies. And we have the truth.

Our job is not to change America back. Our job is not to fix the world. We have a simpler task.

We need to (get to) speak God’s Word. Any fancy arguments won’t change anyone’s heart. (A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still.) Any passionate presentation won’t return America to the faith of our grandfathers. We don’t have the ability or power or knowledge or wisdom to accomplice those BIG things.

But we can speak God’s Word.

That is where hope for the hopeless is found. That is what the Holy Spirit uses to alter hearts. That is what GOD will use to do what HE wants in the world.

Fear not, speak God’s Word.

Fear Not, Because of God's Words

When the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah, Isaiah said to them, “Say to your master, ‘Thus says the LORD: Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the young men of the king of Assyria have reviled me. Behold, I will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.’ ” (Isaiah 37:5–7)

We like to say that talk is cheap, and that words don’t matter. But Scripture describes a different reality. In this episode, Hezekiah, the Assyrians, and God battle with words.

On the one hand, the Assyrians come to Jerusalem and SAY some scary things. This practice was the usual method of attack by Assyria. Rather than risk lives, cut into profit, and take time, the Assyrians talked their way into victory. The Assyrians are skilled wordsmiths. Nearly everyone who hears the words of the Assyrians becomes afraid, insecure, and hopeless.

It was like the “trash talk” that competitors use before a sporting event. And it worked.

But God answers the “trash talk” of the Assyrians with three things.

First God says to Hezekiah and Jerusalem (through Isaiah,) “Do not be afraid.” He combats the Assyrian words with BIGGER words of His own. A single, “Do not be afraid” from God trumps a gazillion words of Assyrian braggadocio.

Second, God goes deeper than words, and works in the heart and mind of Assyria’s King. Beyond feelings and a mood, God is preparing the King to be beaten by the King’s own weapon: words.

Because Third, God brings a rumor to the ears of the King. A rumor about an enemy. A rumor about trouble. A rumor that caught his attention and turned him away from Jerusalem.

As the Assyrians leave Jerusalem to deal with the rumor, more words are bandied about. The Assyrians don’t want to just leave. They leave with threats. They leave with “trash talk.” They leave with fear-inducing-words.

But when Hezekiah, Judah’s King, bring those words to God (actually bringing the threatening letter into the temple,) God answers Assyria’s words with words of hope. Words of victory. Words that can end fear.

These words end with this powerful promise: “Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria: He shall not come into this city or shoot an arrow there or come before it with a shield or cast up a siege mound against it. By the way that he came, by the same he shall return, and he shall not come into this city, declares the LORD. For I will defend this city to save it, for My own sake and for the sake of My servant David.” (Isaiah 37:33-35)

We hear a lot of scary words these days. The news media has become adept at building fear. As Australian songster John Williamson sings, “Good news never made a paper sell.”

But God offers to combat that fear in the same way He fought the Assyrians.

He has better Words. Stronger Words. Hopeful Words.

Listen to HIM. He will defend us to save us, for His own sake and for the sake of His servants, us.

Fear not, because of God's Words.

Fear Not, Because He Comes Near

“Then fear not, O Jacob my servant, declares the Lord, nor be dismayed, O Israel; for behold, I will save you from far away, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. (Jeremiah 30:10 ESV)

“But fear not, O Jacob my servant, nor be dismayed, O Israel, for behold, I will save you from far away, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. (Jeremiah 46:27 ESV)

When Jeremiah says (twice!) that God would save His people from far away, he obviously must be referring to the miles between Jerusalem and Babylon.  And that would have been astonishing enough. 

But God was promising a salvation from a bigger difference than was measurable on a map.

Many years ago, I was attempting to put my broken life back together.  I had slipped, slid, and fallen into sin.  I had been caught, disciplined, taught, and loved.  And now, from the inside out, God was rebuilding me, my relationships, and my life.

One voice that God had brought into my life was a man who seemed like he was from a different world.  Born in Belize.  Hardly any education.  He was as far from me as two men could be from each other in temperament, experience, and ability.  But God used David to continue to save me.   His words challenged me daily.  His eyes encouraged me at 4:00 am when we started work.  His loving heart enriched me as we spoke, listened, laughed, and cried.

I never would have sought David’s counsel.  He was too different.  He was too far away, even when our feet nearly touched.  He was off there somewhere in every way that might have mattered.

Jeremiah makes the ‘from far away’ promise twice.  Because the promise is surprising.

The chasm between a Holy God and broken people is immeasurable.  He is other.  He is as different from us as could possibly be. 

But that makes no difference to God.

He doesn’t save us due to our similarity to Him.  He saves us because we are different.

(In fact, this is one of the reasons that the infinite, holy God became the finite present Christ.  It is how God drew near.)

God knows we are not like Him.  He knows our unholiness.  He knows that we not only are in Babylon but are distressingly comfortable there.

But He will save us, even from far away.

Fear not, because He comes near.

Fear Not, In God We Trust

In God, whose Word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? (Psalm 56:4 ESV)

Once on the highway I once passed a car held together with duct tape. I am still curious as to the extent of this vehicle’s needs, but bands of duct tape held the hood shut. Bands of duct tape held the doors in place. Bands of duct tape were doing SOMETHING to the wheels.

The driver turned towards me and smiled. He knew the value of his duct tape, and so did I.

The Psalmist claims to have something like Spiritual Duct Tape.

Like that driver, he is not afraid.

He has God’s Word. Foundational and practical. Both principial and pragmatic. Big and small. God’s Word is all he needs.

He has the praise of God’s Word. It is important enough to him that he brags about it. He declares the greatness of God’s Word in public worship, and in daily description. Praising God’s Word connects him to God.

He has a profession of faith. One that you might recognize from the coins in your pocket. The rest of this Psalm describes David’s dangers. His political and physical and emotional car is falling apart. But in God he trusts.

Fear not, because In God We Trust.

Fear Not, Because Immanuel

And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” 3 Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do notbe afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. (Genesis 46:2,3 ESV)

In high school, I painted houses. My boss knew that I was not on speaking terms with heights, but he kept sending me to the kind of jobs that required long reaches under eaves, delicate balance on teetering ladders, and (in my memory) leaps across canyons of empty space to put paint on THAT distant spot.

Whenever there was a two-or-three story house that needed painting, Tom was the one that got to go. I climbed, stretched, painted, and eventually… by the end of that summer… heights and I were almost getting along.

And I realized that my boss had sent me there, perhaps, to practice getting over my fear. Whether he meant to or not, that was the blessed result.

Have you ever noticed how many times God’s people went down to Egypt? Abram, Jacob, Joseph, Joseph’s brothers, Benjamin, Jacob (again,) all were sent to Egypt. And it doesn’t stop there. The wandering Israelites are tempted to return to Egypt, the Kings of Judah and Israel look in that direction. Many of the prophets, particularly Jeremiah, consider Egypt as a location. And lastly, even Jesus’ family heads down to Egypt, fleeing Herod.

“Going down to Egypt” is a lot like, “climbing that ladder.”

And maybe God’s people were practicing trust in God, instead of fearing trouble.

Mary and Joseph didn’t fear Egypt. Not only did they have generations of memories of God’s protection in Egypt, they knew they had Immanuel with them.

But so did Abram, Jacob, Joseph and the rest.

When Jesus promises that He will never leave us or forsake us, He included any trips to Egypt we might have planned… or any climbs up a ladder… or whatever journey you fear.

Fear not, because Immanuel.

Fear Not, Work for God

Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished. (1 Chronicles 28:20 ESV)

Captain James Cook took SS Endeavor throughout the Pacific Ocean, discovering, observing, and redefining the world.  But on the ship, he was more popular for being a kind man.  Unlike most Captains, Cook didn’t flog sailors.  Cook didn’t treat the seamen as less than human.  Cook looked after his men.

One evening, Cook overheard two sailors discussing him.  One sailor was worried about what would happen after the Endeavor returned home.  What sort of Captain would the sailors be under, next?  But the other sailor simply responded, “There’s work to be done.  Until the work is finished, we have the Good Captain Cook.”

This is what David was telling Solomon.  When Solomon was King of Israel, he had many enemies.  We remember Solomon’s success, so we don’t think about the early days.  Solomon was afraid.  But David told him that as long as God’s work was being done, Solomon had nothing to fear.

Note, David did not say there would be no problems.  But even the problems are under the loving wings of our Good God.  As long as Solomon was doing God’s assignments, there was nothing to fear.

And that is true for us, too.  Doing God’s work is what keeps us safe.  

We get in trouble when we work for ourselves.

Fear not, work for God.

Fear Not, Listen to God

And about the time of her death the women attending her said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention. (1 Samuel 4:20 ESV)

I knew every noise my first vehicle made. I had spent a fair bit of time under the hood, and I believed that I understood every knock, clunk, wine, rattle, and grind. One Saturday afternoon, I was running late to a church ground-breaking ceremony. And I heard a noise. It was coming from beneath the center of the truck, and in the back of my mind I deduced that the trouble was the U-joint. (A part of the mechanism that transfers Engine Energy into Drive Energy.) But I didn’t have time for that.

So I ignored the sound. I didn’t like it, so I chose not to really hear it. I kept driving. And sure enough, a few miles further on, the rattle became a grind which became a clunk, which became a horrible metal-dragging-on-the-road cacophony. And I was stuck by the side of the road. Luckily, I had a tin can that I was able to jury-rig into a bracket, and I arrived sort of on time.

Our ears have constant sensory overload. Sound waves are more common than mosquitoes in June. And whether we admit it or not, we ‘hear’ what we choose to hear.

The woman in this verse was told good words. But she heard things that made her afraid, instead. She knew that her father-in-law, Eli had died. She knew that the Philistines were winning the war. She knew that the Ark of the Covenant was gone.

She heard THOSE things. And she named the baby that was born as she died, “Glory has departed,” Ichabod.

She chose not to hear the hope found in a son. She chose not to hear the reminder that God was still with her, and Israel. She ignored good news and trusted her fears instead.

Our ears detect dangers, toils, worrisome things, warnings, and all that we hear are reasons to despair, to fret, and to fear.

But the Word of God tells us a different tale. We could hear God saying, “peace.” We could hear Jesus saying, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” We could hear the prophets shouting, “The Lord!”

Sensory overload… but the only thing worth listening to is God.

Fear Not, Listen to God.

Fear Not, Remember You Serve the Lord

 And Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. (1 Sa 12:20)

In our house, the dog is at the bottom of the power pyramid.  Even below the cats, in our mind.  He is bigger, stronger, and more dangerous, so we taught him to leave them alone.  When he jumped at Oz the cat yesterday, RIGHT in front of me, he knew he was in trouble.  He lay his head on the ground, his ears went back, his sad eyes looked up at me, and he was afraid.

His guilt made him afraid.

I struggle with fear when I am feeling guilty, too.  When speeding, I am afraid of the sheriff.  When leaving a meeting early, I am afraid of being noticed.  When late paying a bill, I am afraid that every phone call is a shut off notice. 

When I was out past my curfew, I was afraid of my kind, patient, loving father.

And when I am thinking about my Sin and my sin… I think that God is punishing me.

But He is not.  He already punished Jesus for all my Sin and for every sin.  He already punished Jesus.  He killed Him.  He does not punish twice.

Samuel had just finished yelling at the Israelites for wanting a king like the other nations had.  They had made a bad decision.  They had ignored Moses’ earlier advice, and Samuel’s urgings and had disobeyed God.  And they had come to realize it.  They cried out in their guilt and sorrow and shame.  They were afraid that God was going to justly and rightly treat them as it seemed they deserved.

But Samuel tells them to serve the Lord… with all their heart.  When afraid, he is saying, submit again to God.

Samuel didn’t have the Gospels and the Pauline epistles to explain exactly how God’s Grace and Mercy work.  But Samuel knew already that God would not forsake His people.  Samuel knew that Adam and Eve’s heir would smash the serpent’s head.  Even though Eve had first eaten the fruit, and Adam had Eaten the Fruit.

And so, even though the people had seriously sinned, Samuel could with confidence direct them away from fear and towards the Lord.

You, too, have sinned.  Maybe you think that the troubles of your life are God’s anger, God’s wrath, or God’s justice.  But God’s anger, wrath, and justice were spent on Jesus on the day Jesus said, “It is finished.”

So why are hard things happening?  It is not God’s anger.  If He is perhaps teaching you something, that is nothing to fear.  Trust the Teacher’s hand.  If He is perhaps giving the effect due your cause, that is nothing to fear.  He loves you and does things (everything) for your good.  If He is perhaps doing something we don’t understand, that is nothing to fear.  He’s smarter than you are.

Don’t be afraid, remember He claims you, and you serve Him.

Fear Not, Keep Going

And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.”  (Acts 18:9–10 ESV)

Mowing the ditch is scary.  The steep incline, slippery slope, always-thick grass, hidden trash, and my fear of even low heights combine to make that chore a dangerous activity.  (Or so it seems to me…) But I’ve learned how to endure in safety.  Rather than stop at every hiccup I just keep going.  Rather than redirect at every bump, I just keep going.  Rather than despair at every heart-wrenching moment of near slippage, I just keep going.

But this concept is only helpful if I am doing the right thing to start with.

If I am going too fast, ‘keep going’ makes things worse.  If I am approaching the slope at too steep an angle, ‘keep going’ makes things worse.  If I am teetering, ‘keep going’ makes things worse.

Paul was facing more danger than my ditch.  He had just made the decision to focus his work on the gospel to the Gentiles.  The Jews were not only making his life difficult, they were threatening to end that life.  The Corinthians were splintering into rival factions.  Paul had already suffered for the gospel and foresaw that more suffering was on the map.  And Paul was preaching a new old gospel.  His intellectual ability was challenged by how to present the God’s Word to God’s people.  How did the entire Old Testament connect to Jesus?  What was the church supposed to look like now? That teaching-millstone was constantly terrifying.

So Jesus comforts Paul.  Jesus says, ‘keep going.’

Paul had been preaching the gospel in the way Jesus wanted Paul to preach the gospel.  While we don’t have any recordings of Paul’s pulpit in Corinth, we do have Paul’s writings.  Half of the New Testament is the record of what Paul was doing right… and saying right… or teaching right. 

He ‘kept going.’

Despite what our civilization seems to say, the ‘new’ is not always best.   When new dangers are encountered, don’t assume new solutions are necessary.   Sometimes, often, maybe usually… we need to ‘keep going.’

But only if our ‘going’ is the right going.  Only if our ‘going’ is God’s Way.  Only if our ‘going’ is the simple/deep, true/True, Grace-centered, trust-based, wisdom of God.  Found in His Word.  Found through His Spirit.  Found in Jesus.  

Every fear can be faced by looking to Jesus.  Every fear can be challenged by Jesus’ Name.  Every fear can be overcome by the cross and the empty tomb.  You’ve come this far by Him… keep going.

Don’t fear, keep going.

Fear Not, Be Silent

The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.  (Exodus 14:14)

We don’t like to be silent.  But sometimes silence is golden.

My high school band, The Jam Town Blue Mountain Kids, had a great singer.  He was Mike (and was the “M” in the weird name…)  He had instant perfect pitch, confidence, style, and no shame.  And when the rest of us took our occasional turn at vocal solo, we weren’t as scared as we should have been.  Because if a terror-causing moment of fear-silence occurred… Mike would step in and SING.  It actually gave us confidence the rest of the time.

So here are the Israelites… fleeing Egypt.  The superpower of the era.  Chariots, horses, armor, weapons, and thousands of angry, greedy, revenge-motivated soldiers gaining on the untrained, hungry, tired, mass of Israelites. 

Put yourself in their sandals.

What would you want to do?  Some of them probably wanted to turn and make a last desperate stand.  No more slavery.  No more hiding.  It’s time to draw the line and FIGHT! God didn’t give us these hoes and pitchforks for nothing!  Probably fight to the death, but not to the victory. To say those words, “ARRRGHH, freedom or death!”

Some of them probably wanted to turn around and surrender.  To go back to the comfort of the familiar.  To admit they shouldn’t have followed Moses and this strange unknown God.  To say those words, “Don’t kill us!  We surrender!”

Some of them probably wanted to send Moses and Aaron once more to negotiate.  Discussions with Pharaoh really hadn’t gone too badly.  The threat of another plague, worse than the death of all the first born, might be enough to turn the chariots around.  Maybe Goshen could be purchased with promises.  To say those words, “Back to the table!  Let’s talk!”

Probably ALL of them were beyond panic.  And panic usually makes us want to DO something.

But God says, “Trust me.  Sit back and do NOTHING.  Sit back and be SILENT.  Sit back and watch me save you again… and again… and again… “

Being silent means submission.

Being silent means full trust.

Being silent means GOD.

Already this morning I have tried to solve four problems… and THEN remembered to be silent.  Already this morning I have acted, or spoke, or wrote, or DONE something.  Because I am an American.  Because I am edumacated.  Because I KNOW things.  Because God wants (I am sure of it… really!) me to DO something for Him, on His behalf, because He really really really really must need me to act or speak or do on HIS behalf.

But God says that He will fight for me.  All I need to do is be silent.

Maybe among the hardest commands in Scripture.  But oh, the wonder when I find myself doing it.

Fear not…. Be silent.

Fear not, Because of Beauty

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.  (Hebrews 11:23–24 ESV)

The most beautiful object I presently own is a small angel-like statue that sits nearby my computer when I write.  It is not the most skillfully made ceramic.  It’s sort of cheesy.  And I usually don’t like angel-statues.   But this one, to me, is beautiful.  The single word printed on the bottom hem of the robe says simply, “Loved.” 

It is beautiful because it connects my heart, my mind, and the physical world.  It was given to me with the purpose of encouragement, and it does it’s job.  It does not claim any power, or induce any idol-like wonder, or distract me from the rest of my life.  It is a beauty in my life because it is complete, completes its good purpose, and while no doubt effected by Adam’s sin, is good. 

And when I am discouraged, disheartened, lonely, failing, disliked, or afraid, this beauty reminds me of all the times that God has told me in His Word that I am loved.  (It is a lot!) 

Moses’ parents looked at baby Moses and saw beauty.  Beauty that overcame fear.

Not because he had cute little googly eyes.  Not because his face was pleasantly symmetrical.  Not because his countenance reminded them of Uncle Bob.  

But because in Moses they saw God’s Word being fulfilled.  And that was beautiful.

The people of Abraham were slaves in Egypt.  The blessing of Joseph’s protection had turned to bile.  They were oppressed, threatened, and empty.  But some remembered God’s promises of redemption, of hope, of protection, of a Promised Land.  God’s Word is not simply a set of directives.  It was written to give hope. 

And that baby was beautiful because somehow, in that baby, they saw the promise of God’s Word being fulfilled.

So even though they faced retributive death, they were not afraid.

When you notice fear, find some beauty to notice instead.  

When the Fellowship of the Ring were on their way to Mordor (a VERY frightening place) they stop for a time in a beautiful forest, where an elf, Haldir, says something like:

“The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.”

Beauty is good, yes?  But an unclaimed capacity of Beauty is that it diminishes the Fear Beast.  Someone should write a fairy tale about that…

Fear not, because of beauty.

Fear Not, Jesus is Everywhere

Fear not, I am the first and the last, (Revelation 1:17.)

I am mildly afraid of spiders, but I am not afraid of coyotes.  Fish make me uncomfortable when swimming, but I relax around boats.  A dark room makes me nervous until I see a light. 

I deduce that the unknown is a scary thing.  Spiders, fish, and the dark are hidden, probably sneaky, and therefore dangerous.  But coyotes are loud and full of motion, boats are on the TOP of the water, and the light lets me see.

Jesus commands John to, “fear not.”  And he tells John why.  While we usually interpret Jesus’ “First” and “Last” as being related to time, those words also have reference to place… to geography… to travel.  They might be translated, “Nearest,” and “Farthest.”  Jesus is saying that He is everywhere.  Somehow, at the same time.  There is nothing to fear around Jesus, because through Him there is no unknown place.  Nowhere for danger to lurk, or creep, or crouch. When my mind is focused on Jesus, there are no unknown places to fear.

Further, danger has nowhere to hide from HIM.  There are no shadows around Jesus, from His perspective… and He is everywhere!  No enemy is hidden from Him.  No evil has a place to lurk.  No danger is sneaking around the next corner.  Because He is there, too!  If anything could hide from His attention, maybe THAT could be worth fearing.  But He is the nearest and the farthest!

Fear not, Jesus is everywhere!

Fear Not, Because of Love

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18.)

Yesterday my dog was terrified.  Thunder, lightning, hail, rain, wind, and darkness were all he knew.  He tore at our front door again.  He drooled and howled.  He paced, whined, and barked. 

But then I came home.  And he wagged his tail, smiled at me, and relaxed.  He laid on the ground and if he were a cat, he would have been purring.  The thunder, lightning, hail, rain, and wind continued.  But for some reason my stupid dog loves me.  And when I was with him, his fear left.

And he’s just a dog.

This same phenomenon can happen to us.

Maybe a spring storm doesn’t scare you, but something does.  You don’t need me to remind you of your fears.  They are as attention grabbing as any bad weather.  Even the fears you don’t speak of can paralyze you.   Fear wants to push all other things from your mind and heart.  Fear attacks joy.  Fear attacks peace.  Fear attacks hope.  Fear attacks duty.  Fear attacks rest.  Fear attacks focus.  Fear attacks perseverance.  Fear attacks everything.  Fear wants to overwhelm everything so that all we think we can do is paw at the door, drool, howl, pace, whine, and bark.

But then, Jesus.

But then, Jesus’ love.

The Love He has for us, and the love we have for Him.

There are so many logical reasons, theological reasons, and thoughtful reasons that this is true.  But today I am reminded of my illogical, soul-less, and mindless dog.  Love cast out his fear.  Even IMperfect love cast out his fear.

It’s not always our thinking that needs adjusting.  It’s not always our understanding that needs adjusting.  It’s not always the careful connection of cause and effect that brings fear’s end.

Sometimes, it’s just Jesus.  He loves me.  I love Him.

My dog is a tiny example of how HUGE and REAL and PROFOUND the love of Jesus (in both directions) really is.

His perfect LOVE casts out fear.

Fear Not, Because of Self-Control

…for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7)

I discovered one day a skill I did not know I had.  I was in the seventh grade, and my classmates were trying to determine who would take what part in our silly re-enactment of Monty Python’s Holy Grail.  I wanted to be King Arthur.  We decided to have sword fights, and the winners got to choose the role they wanted.  And while I was not coordinated, physically skillful, or experienced at swordplay, I won.  Somehow I was able to wield my yardstick with more accuracy and abandon than John, Chip, Jerry, Dave, David, Davey, or even Mike.

I had a secret skill of swashbuckling. 

But you and I have a better secret skill.

We know very well that we are unable to be sinless.  It has appropriately been driven into our hearts and heads that we cannot improve ourselves, act righteously, or obey.  We need Christ’s obedience to count as ours.  Both on the cross, to make us right in God’s eyes, and daily, to make us robed in Jesus’ holiness, it is CHRIST who is sinless on our behalf.

But our adoption into the family of our big brother unlocks skills within our mind, heart, and body.  We have, now, the power, motivation, and ability to act in righteousness.  We can do the right thing. Yes, still tainted by sin.  But we… can… do… the… right… thing.

I know, it seems confusing.  But it is also an answer to fear.

Paul tells Timothy that Timothy can combat fear by self-control.

Paul isn’t telling Timothy to stand on his own two feet.  He isn’t telling Timothy that he can do whatever he sets his mind to.  Paul isn’t telling Timothy to try harder. 

Paul is telling Timothy, in the light of the REST of Paul’s full-of-grace teaching, that Timothy has the skill of self-control.  Paul is telling Timothy that he can’t ease through life not caring about rightness… because Timothy has the skill of choosing to control his sinful nature, and doing the right thing.

Of course, this skill is really still Jesus Christ… Christ empowers Timothy, enables Timothy, skeletons Timothy, and gives Timothy even the very foundational desire to do the right thing.

But the skill is there.  Timothy can count on having self-control.

And you can insert YOUR name in every place I wrote ‘Timothy’ above.

And this is an answer to fear.

By this time, we know we don’t have any reason to fear.  Our minds understand that God is Sovereign, so why fear?  Our hearts love the comfort of resting beneath His wings instead of huddling in a corner.  Our souls can be at rest in God’s almighty and all-comforting arms.

But we still fear. 

If you are still afraid because you think you can’t help it, remember you have self-control.  If you are still afraid because you think you are still powerless to lift your eyes to His, remember that you have self-control.  If you are still afraid because you think you are caught in the slimy grip of your sinful nature, remember that you have self-control.

Paul does not intend this as an added brick on the wall of your guilt.  He is not saying, “Not only are you afraid but it is YOUR fault, because you aren’t controlling your self!”  He is actually reminding you that Jesus provides a way around that wall, through that wall, and over that wall.  He’s not so much saying, “YOU MUST!” as he is urging, smiling, warmly and affectionately, “You can!”

Fear not, because you HAVE self-control.

Fear Not, Love

…for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7)

I can still remember the day I met William Shatner.  I woke up that morning, with the Star Trek theme in my mind and on my lips.   I found myself talking like Captain Kirk.  “Good morning… DeAnne… How did… you sleep?”  I wore black pants and a yellowish shirt.  My free time was spent wondering what he would say.  I created at least eight Star Trek puns.  And used five of them. 

I am sure that scary things actually happened that day.  Germs congregated.  Reputations were threatened.  I spent more money than I made.  Tyrants were hiding behind every drone.  People were planning evil.  I was tempted to sin more times than I could have counted.  

But I didn’t notice those things.

Because I was thinking about someone else.

A spirit of fear only grows and matures into words or actions of fear when given the right environment.  Looking around for ‘what is wrong today?’ will FIND what might be wrong today.  Looking around for things to worry about will FIND things to worry about.  Looking around for troubles will FIND troubles.

But a spirit of love doesn’t let fear germinate, take root, or grow.  Because when we are loving we are looking noticing different kinds of things. 

First, Jesus tells us that one half of love is putting other people high on our notice list.  When we are purposefully loving, we notice the beloved’s joys and sorrows, needs and resources, hopes and fears.  We are studying them, considering them, helping them.  Done right, this doesn’t leave much time for fear.

But maybe when we notice the beloved, we notice things that make us afraid FOR them…

That is why Jesus gives us the second part of love:  Focusing on God with our full heart, soul, mind, and strength. 

If we are noticing GOD, there is nothing to fear.  If we are focused on GOD, our fears become tiny.  If we are focused on GOD, even our fear for our beloved is under His umbrella.

Looking at our Beloved gives us hope for our beloved.

Fear Not, Love.