"And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows." Luke 12:4-7
Good morning, dear friends,
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| Photo: geralt pixabay |
Monday morning is on us again, but for many in France, it is still Friday night.
The scenes from this weekend's atrocities are playing in a loop on news feeds as folks relive the dramatic bombings in Paris. The official count holds at around 130 dead and more than double who are seriously wounded in the hospital.
France as a nation is hurting.
France as a nation is hurting.
And yet, somehow today, people must send their children off to school, return to work, and move past Friday and their fears for the future.
Fear is a terrible thing. Terrorists recognize it as their greatest weapon, because of the effects fear produces in our entire being. It paralyzes us from taking positive action. It robs our minds of our sense of peace and well-being. It keeps us from sleeping. It keeps us from concentrating and focusing on what is truly important in life. It produces dependance on alcohol and drugs. It is highly contageous and very hard to stop, once it has taken root in our lives.
Is it any wonder, the number of times God in His Word reminds His people, not to fear?
Others have taken the time to count the number of times "Fear not..." is mentioned in Bible, and the number has come out to 365 times, or one for everyday. (Many of these uses of "Fear not..." are not ones that many Christians would want to apply to their lives.)
The fact that God tells us ONCE not to fear should be enough to last us a lifetime.
The fact that God tells us ONCE not to fear should be enough to last us a lifetime.
At the end of our church service yesterday, our coworker shared the passage in Luke quoted at the top of this blog. If ever there is a time to be reminded about fear, it is the day in which we live. Here are some thoughts that came as I meditated these verses this morning.
1. Our present circumstances do not take God by surprise. God knew what was going to happen in Paris on Friday night, just as He knew what would happen on 9/11 and the many other horrific events that have taken place in human history. The question, "Why would a loving God allow such tragedies to happen?" is too lengthy a subject to be treated in this blog today, but the fact that one can even consider this possibility is because God loves man and allows him to have the freedom to choose to live for Him or reject Him as he wills. God warns us ahead of time that not all will love Him and follow Him, and that in itself is a comfort. God knows all about my sufferings, past and present, and He knows that my reaction will be to fear.
2. Not all fear is misplaced. In the midst of tragedy, when the focus is on man's actions against other men, it is easy to focus on one's present sufferings and forget that my vision of the events is so limited, in comparison to God's. Present trials may be scary, but it is nothing compared to the eternal condemnation coming to those who reject God. Earthly fears may last for a time, but one day every person--the terrorist and the terrorized--will stand before God and give an account for their lives. That day, standing in front of a holy God who will judge all sin once and for all, will be a scary time indeed.
If I live my life in view of that day, it will change my daily focus. Instead of focusing on the sufferings produced at the hands of men, it will motivate me to pray and do everything I can to spare as many as I can from being on the receiving end of God's condemnation, which is far greater than any present sufferings others may inflict or I will endure.
3. God's care more than supercedes our fears. The personal attention that God gives to each part of His creation is amazing. He cares about every facet of my life, no matter how small, even to the details of the hairs on my head and the smallest of His birds. Jesus reminds me that my life is of so much greater value than the smallest of His creation. "For God so loved the world..." does not mean that He died for His creation, but for the people who inhabit it: "...that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) If the One who made everything and sustains it, tells me that I have no reason to be afraid, then my response should be trust. After all, God alone sees the big picture, and if He is not scared, then I have no reason to be.
This is the message that I choose to share with others today.
Life on earth may be scary at times, and there may be times when I am afraid. One day, all too soon, this life will be over, and another will begin. Will I allow my fears of this present world, to keep me from trusting God and His Word? Or will I let God be in control of my life, and allow Him to lead me through the scariest parts of this life, knowing that He will lead me safely home?
Fear not...and please continue to pray for those in France who must face their fears today.
(If you are reading this blog and are not sure of God's love and the promises of heaven for His children, I encourage you to read the page at the top of this blog, Home Away from Home.) Feel free to leave a comment in the section below.
1. Our present circumstances do not take God by surprise. God knew what was going to happen in Paris on Friday night, just as He knew what would happen on 9/11 and the many other horrific events that have taken place in human history. The question, "Why would a loving God allow such tragedies to happen?" is too lengthy a subject to be treated in this blog today, but the fact that one can even consider this possibility is because God loves man and allows him to have the freedom to choose to live for Him or reject Him as he wills. God warns us ahead of time that not all will love Him and follow Him, and that in itself is a comfort. God knows all about my sufferings, past and present, and He knows that my reaction will be to fear.
2. Not all fear is misplaced. In the midst of tragedy, when the focus is on man's actions against other men, it is easy to focus on one's present sufferings and forget that my vision of the events is so limited, in comparison to God's. Present trials may be scary, but it is nothing compared to the eternal condemnation coming to those who reject God. Earthly fears may last for a time, but one day every person--the terrorist and the terrorized--will stand before God and give an account for their lives. That day, standing in front of a holy God who will judge all sin once and for all, will be a scary time indeed.
If I live my life in view of that day, it will change my daily focus. Instead of focusing on the sufferings produced at the hands of men, it will motivate me to pray and do everything I can to spare as many as I can from being on the receiving end of God's condemnation, which is far greater than any present sufferings others may inflict or I will endure.
3. God's care more than supercedes our fears. The personal attention that God gives to each part of His creation is amazing. He cares about every facet of my life, no matter how small, even to the details of the hairs on my head and the smallest of His birds. Jesus reminds me that my life is of so much greater value than the smallest of His creation. "For God so loved the world..." does not mean that He died for His creation, but for the people who inhabit it: "...that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) If the One who made everything and sustains it, tells me that I have no reason to be afraid, then my response should be trust. After all, God alone sees the big picture, and if He is not scared, then I have no reason to be.
This is the message that I choose to share with others today.
Life on earth may be scary at times, and there may be times when I am afraid. One day, all too soon, this life will be over, and another will begin. Will I allow my fears of this present world, to keep me from trusting God and His Word? Or will I let God be in control of my life, and allow Him to lead me through the scariest parts of this life, knowing that He will lead me safely home?
Fear not...and please continue to pray for those in France who must face their fears today.
(If you are reading this blog and are not sure of God's love and the promises of heaven for His children, I encourage you to read the page at the top of this blog, Home Away from Home.) Feel free to leave a comment in the section below.
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