There is a lot to fear in this world and this life. As a parent, I am prone to worrying about my children’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. As a wife, I find much to keep me on my knees regarding my husband’s travel schedule, stress level, and health.
Furthermore, as an American, I can get caught up in fear for our country and the divisiveness of our nation. I have recently walked the streets of San Francisco, Chicago, and Denver and have seen homelessness, hunger, addiction, and mental illness. Currently, I daily open my laptop to the news of a worldwide pandemic.
Fear is nothing new. Throughout time there have been wars, disease, poverty, and pain. Praise the Lord, throughout time there have also been faith, hope, joy, and love.
This morning, a portion of my Bible reading was from Genesis. In Genesis 12, the Lord spoke to Abram. The Scriptures don’t spell out exactly how He spoke, but the words Abram heard are very clear,
“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:2-3
What greater reassurance could there possibly be than words from the mouth of God promising blessing, greatness, and a curse upon your enemies? I would assume that hearing this message directly from the Lord Himself would infuse Abram with confidence and allow him to follow God’s guidance without fear or trepidation. Yet, Abram was not without fear.
When Abram and his beautiful wife Sarai entered Egypt, fearful thoughts began to creep into his mind. He realized his wife was very desirable and worried that the Egyptians would kill him to take her as their own. Rather than trusting in the promises of God, Abram hatched a plan to ensure his safety. Abram then instructed Sarai to pose as his sister instead of his wife. This plot resulted in Pharaoh taking Sarai to be one of his own wives. Of course, this plan was not God’s plan, and Pharaoh’s household suffered for this deception. When Pharaoh realized what had happened, he gave Sarai back to Abram and instructed them to get out of his country.
I often wonder what was going through Sarai’s mind during this season of her life. I wonder how her story would have been different had Abram trusted in God and allowed the Lord to see them safely through Egypt without this fearful lie. Of course, Sarai was not without fears of her own. After suffering many childless years, Sarai feared that God would never bless her with a child of her own. Rather than trusting in God and His plan, Sarai decided to give her servant Hagar to Abram in the hopes of obtaining a family through Hagar.
Oh, the pain that could have been avoided if Abram and Sarai had trusted in God’s plan for their lives rather than taking matters into their own hands!
I am grateful to read the stories of godly men and women who were able to accomplish the Lord’s work despite their human fears, frailties, and mistakes. However, I relish the accounts of godly men and women who trusted in the faithfulness of God despite their worries and anxieties.
First, there is Gideon with his army of 300 men facing 135,000 Midianites. Gideon and his men had faith that God would fight the battle for them as they blew trumpets, broke jars, and shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” Then they saw the Lord at work as the Midianite army first turned their swords on each other in confusion, and then fled. (Judges 7)
Next, we see David, a simple shepherd boy who, with a sling and some stones, stepped out in faith and toppled a giant. David’s own brothers mocked him for leaving behind their father’s pastures. However, David had faith in the God who had empowered him to rescue his father’s sheep from the jaws of lions and bears.
David trusted this same God to provide the strength required to stop the menacing Philistine, Goliath, in his tracks.
“So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.” 1 Samuel 17:50 (NIV)
When fear threatens to overtake me, my prayer is that I will be like Gideon and David. On my own, I may be tempted to lie, hatch my own plots, hide, or become selfish and insulated. Instead, I pray for the strength to walk in faith instead of fear. To join hands with others. To gather my sling, stones, trumpet, and jars of clay, if that is what God asks of me. But then to trust that those things are enough and to recognize that the battle is the Lord’s.
Dear Lord, fear is such a powerful emotion. Please help me to focus on faith instead of fear, and to recognize that the battle is Yours. Amen.