If You Are Anywhere Nearby…

Fear.  We haven’t known too much of it for the last 15 years or so.  Sure, there was a period after September 11th when everyone was on pins and needles, but at least for me, this is different.

You know, the impact of so much of what I hear on Sunday mornings or read in books is dependant upon where I am in my life at that moment.  Well, this past Sunday, our Teaching Pastor (Bill Goans) talked very plainly about the need to trust God during these fearful times.  It was one of the best sermons I’ve ever heard, simply because he spoke in a simple, straightforward and very practical way, directly to the issue facing our nation today.  Here’s what I’m learning.

#1 - I’m selfish and deep down in my heart, in places I don’t really want to admit exist, I don’t want to go through the kind of extreme difficulty that would require dependence upon God for the physical survival of me and my family.  I’ve taught the Bible and talked about the faith of Daniel, Peter, Paul, and others.  Faith that faced physical death, torture, extreme poverty (maybe even castration in Daniel’s case! I REALLY don’t want to face that one…I think I’d prefer death!).  Anyway, I digress.  The Bible teaches about the God who is there, no matter what the circumstances and who gives grace through the circumstances.  In fact, it is those who need His grace the most who often have the deepest relationship with Him and the greatest joy, regardless of their plight in life.  It was easy to teach about those men of faith, while I lived in safety and comfort.  With sadness, I must admit that I sometimes looked down on them in their failings and weaknesses, as though I really knew all about how to live life in relationship with God.  As you read the rest of this post (if you haven’t decided to give up on it at this point), please don’t misunderstand me; this post is about me as much as anyone else.  I’m the problem.  Maybe you agree?

In our generation in the USA, we have enjoyed prosperity that exceeds (I’m guessing here, but I feel certain that I’m not far off) 99.99% of that of all the humanity that preceded us.  For most of us, trusting God means getting the promotion that will allow us to get the 3 year old used Honda instead of the 10 year old Ford we’ve been driving.  Hard times means having to say no to going out to eat more than twice a week.  What I’m saying is that we’re spoiled rotten.  Somehow, we’ve come to believe that our current lifestyle (whatever it is) is our God-given right and any threat to it is somehow unfair.  It simply isn’t true.

If the markets collapse worldwide and we’re plunged into a depression that lasts for years, is God no longer God?  Is He no longer faithful?  Will it shake our faith in Him?  If you have to admit that it does, then what do we say to the Chinese believers who face imprisonment and torture for their faith?  Is God only real in the West, where it’s safe and the economy is (or was) expanding?  What about the Sudanese believer, sitting in the desert with nothing to occupy his time, no resources to put to use, and a greater likelihood that the approaching vehicle is a militia coming to kill him and take his sons than that it is a friend offering food and help?  What do we say to Him?  Is God not real in Sudan?

The Bible states that perfect love casts out fear:

1John 4:13   We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.  14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.  15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.  16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.  17 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.  18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

I’ve decided that I’m finished with fear.  I’m willing to walk through this life in faith that the One who gave me life will sustain it on this Earth for as long as it pleases Him AND that at the end of this life, I will enter a glorious eternal existence that will make any temporal discomfort fade into insignificance by comparison.  You see, things may never get as bad as they possibly could (in my lifetime, at least), but whether I have to lower my standard of living, face financial destitution, or am privileged to continue to enjoy tremendous material blessing, my goal never changes.  I’m here to glorify God, the One who not only created me, but died for me to have an eternal relationship with Him.  My prayer is that this will be my focus at all times and that His goodness and grace will be evident to those around me.  Honestly, I don’t think I’ve done such a great job of this lately and I’d appreciate your prayers that He will transform me into the man He’s called me to be.  Feel free to let me know how I can pray for you.

This entry was posted on 15 October 2008 at 12:44 am and is filed under Trinity, Politics, Trinitarianism, Missions, Leadership, Missionaries, Community, Humanism, Contemporary Christianity, Sanctity of Life, Biblical Worldview, Spirituality, Naturalism, False Doctrine, Secularism. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.