Reasons to Fear Not

Monday started with a pretty regular To Do list:

1. plant flowers & weed by the old barrel water fountain
2. order birthday present for Mr. E
3. send speaker’s photo to Jim
4. prepare devotional for Chapel
5. choose songs for Chapel
6. Dr. appointment

I didn’t realize when I started the day how much the first things on the list, the ordinary every day things, would help me when it came time for the last thing on the list.

The sweat and dirt followed by refreshing warm water; ordering a gift for that growing, healthy little boy and being reminded of God’s protection on him before he ever drew a breath; finding the picture of a faithful, generous friend who continues to help others think wisely; writing thoughts on God’s fierce protection from Isaiah 41:10; humming the music set with familiar truth in old hymns; and then later, the doctor’s office anatomy charts denying the possibility that we are products of chance, that we have been left on our own in this swirling cosmos.

All of those little ordinary things were intentionally placed into my day by God so that I had what I needed when it was time for the conversation with the doc.

So, when it came time to sit with the doctor – and hear that the cause is unknown and the extent is unknown and the treatment is unknown and the only thing that is known is that I will always have this as a reminder of my limits – then it was time to give thanks for the way the Lord had prepared me. It was time to trust Him, even with my liver.

And when the doctor began to roll out words that needed spelling, it was time to reach for the Truth that God has been handing me for a long time in generous measure. It’s like I’ve been packing Truth away into a little easy-to-transport travel bag and it was close at hand when I needed it unexpectedly. I am so thankful that the Lord had urged me to get the bag ready even before I knew I needed it.

Right there at the top of the bag (because I’d been studying for the chapel presentation), I found Isaiah 41:10 – Fear thou not for I am with thee, be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

 

 

This little liver incident is a priceless opportunity God gave me to ask myself: Do you really believe it? As I held that verse tightly, in my heart I heard His challenge, “Before you tell other people that I’m reliable, make sure that you really, really believe it yourself.”

And so this morning, I went to that chapel service and I really believed what I said …

Reasons to Fear Not

Phobialist.com has an alphabetical listing of all the diagnosable fears known to man and there are 21 listed under A alone! There is even one that starts with X – Xanthophobia, the fear of the color yellow.

Some fears I understand – like tetanophobia, the fear of tetanus, and lilapsophobia, the fear of hurricanes and tornadoes. But, some I do not understand at all – like geliophobia, the fear of laughter. And some I don’t have a single small drop of – like, doxophobia, the fear of expressing opinions. I know, on some occasions I could probably do with a some dose of that.  The most ironic one I found was the fear of long words – hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia.

That phobia list stands as plenty of proof that there are more than enough occasions to be fearful. But the good news is that in a single verse of Scripture (Isaiah 41:10) there are 5 reasons to “fear not.”

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

1. He is with us

Plain and simple: We need not fear because He is present. That truth is echoed when He commissioned His disciples to make other disciples, baptize and teach (see Matthew 28:19-20.) He ends the commissioning by promising:

I am with you always, to the end of the age.

He, God Himself, is with me. He – the I AM of the burning bush, the Deliverer at Red Sea, the Provider of wilderness provisions – He is with me. The I AM,  the Manna Maker, the Protector of the pillar of fire, the Guidance of the Pillar of the cloud – He is with me.

This is the One who says “I am right here with you.”

So I do not fear.

2. He is my God

But now thus says the LORD, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. Isaiah 43:1 

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life,

and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,

and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. John 10:27-29

I belong to Him by everlasting covenant. He is not a deity borrowed for the day, only available as a short-term loan. No, I am His and He is mine. Forever.

So I do not fear.

The next three reasons to FEAR NOT are based on three promises He gives to us – that He will strengthen us, help us and uphold us.

Now, I’ve had offers to be strengthened that were not exactly believable. When my granddaughter and I are playing restaurant and she lays the tiny food on my little plate from her play kitchen and she tells me, “Eat Nana. It will make you strong.” I would be pretending if I said I thought that the food would really strengthen me. It’s plastic pretend food, after all.

And I’ve had offers for help that are not truly productive. Like when Ava’s big brother helps me cook in the real kitchen. If we are stirring and seven year old Luke is helping me, we scatter less flour if we are helping each other hold the spoon at the same time. Let’s be honest, even with as much fun as we are having, there is helping and then there is helping.

The same is true considering offers to “uphold” me. Not all “upholding” makes me feel truly secure. Sometimes when we cross the street, I convince their little brother, Elijah, to hold my hand so I, the feeble grandmother, will get across the street safely. Now, who is upholding who?

How much real strength, help, and upholding we truly receive depends on the source of the promised assistance.

When I hear those words from Heaven promising to “strengthen, help and uphold,” it’s a different story than when the promise comes from a human source. Because when God does those things for us, the fear fighting resources overflow from His holy character and His essence. The strength, help and upholding is immeasurable because the One who is strengthening us, helping us and upholding us is omnipotent, omnipresent, and all wise. Our fear recedes because of the One who is strengthening and helping and upholding.

It is my God, the ever present Creator and Ruler of the universe who has promised us that He will act on our behalf.

When You did awesome things that we did not look for,

You came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.

From old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you,

who acts for those who wait for him.

You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember Your ways.

Isaiah 64:3-4

3. He will strengthen me.

4. He will help me.

5. He will uphold me.

So I need not fear.

The old long-dead poet, William Cowper, had it right when he wrote

• God moves in a mysterious way
• His wonders to perform;
• He plants His footsteps in the sea
• And rides upon the storm.
• Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
• The clouds ye so much dread
• Are big with mercy, and shall break
• In blessings on your head.
• Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
• But trust Him for His grace;
• Behind a frowning providence
• He hides a smiling face.
• His purposes will ripen fast,
• Unfolding every hour;
• The bud may have a bitter taste,
• But sweet will be the flower.

That old poem doesn’t deny the presence of evil and suffering – but it does deny the victory of evil and suffering. (Al Mohler)

Hard and fearsome things do come but we do not fear for we have this promise:

Fear not, for I am with you;

be not dismayed, for I am your God; 

I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you

with my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10

 

On days of planting flowers, mailing birthday presents or on days of medical consults filled with words we don’t want to hear, this is the truth about our God. This is the truth we proclaim as we fearlessly live out our faith in opportunities especially crafted to display His power and love.

We have good reasons to FEAR NOT!

PS – Check out this site (sent by the friend mentioned in my To Do list) with verses and slides to remind us to Fear Not.

Think of a time when He intervened for you. Remember a time when He drew a line in the sand and said, “This is the stopping point. This ends here!” Can you remember a time of wrenching heart ache when He shielded you and restored you? It won’t be the last time.