Monday, January 28, 2008

 

Dejunk our Life Series

 

“I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4).

 

The Fears of the Day

 

The earlier generations of Averette’s family and my family were people not generally given to fear.   My Granddaddy used to say of his family, that they were not afraid “the crops would fail, or of scary people, or of things that go bump in the night.”   

 

It is easy to give in to fear and there are many things that are fearful in our world.   I remember Caroline, after the fearful days of the Columbine High School shootings.  There was a point where many rumors went about the high school she attended and there were comparisons made from the Columbine suburban community to our suburban community.   Many students were staying home from high school.  I asked Caroline if she wanted to stay home.  She said, “I’m not going to let myself be afraid.”  

 

Recently, I had a fearful experience, one in which I could give myself over to fear.   I chose, however, to not be afraid of the things that go bump in the night, but to face those fears and go on with my life.   We, indeed, do live in a world where scary things happen.   Public life has many challenges and in all honesty, people have changed since I began ministry 34 years ago when I attended seminary.   We know so much through the media about things that could easily terrify us.  

 

Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” As we face the reality of our fear of “crops that would fail, or of scary people, and or of things that go bump in the night,” we must remember to follow Paul’s advice in Philippians - to not give in to anxiety or fear but as we face possible fearful situations we pray and ask God to help us.   As Paul advised we thank God for what we face so that our faith will be strong.  We also thank God that as we face difficulties that we can have confidence in Him.  Faithfully, we pray and present our request to God so that we may have confidence that our fears are in His hands not ours.   Verse 7 says, “The peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard both our hearts and our minds in the power of Christ Jesus.”   Older translations would say, “the peace which passes all understanding.”   This, of course, means that we don’t ever have to be fearful but always confident in God.    This peace we can have even if everything else says be afraid. 

 

Prayer:   Dear God, help me to never be afraid.  Help me to have confidence in you.   Amen.