Fear

Running to the Finish Line

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 KJV

As a long distance runner in high school, I learned early on that my toughest competition came from my own body and mind. At the starting gun my mind wanted to race ahead but our coach had taught us to start slowly. When I paced myself I discovered that later on in the race, I still had the strength to press on to the final lap. My recent retirement followed by our move to Florida brought on far more stress and anxiety than I had imagined.

P1010537

Suddenly I had no lunch to pack, no schedule to keep and no one coming by. It felt as if the road I had been traveling on for most of my life was a dead end. I found myself sleepless with anxiety and fear swirling around me. There I remembered that Jesus as He had hung alone on the cross, had cried out, “My God My God why have you forsaken me?” With no one who could understand and no deliverance at hand He endured it all for me. Humbled and grateful I remembered His example and loving sacrifice. In that dark hour long ago, another man on a cross next to Jesus cried out in pain and fear. Then Jesus, put aside His own suffering, forgave him and promised to personally welcome him to paradise that day.

Prayer: Father – Help me to remember that You endured the terrible cross for me. Remind me that I don’t need to be afraid because just You are the beginning of my faith You have also promised to help me run all the way to its finish line.

 

Fear Not

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

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 ESV

Some of our dearest friends at times pooh-pooh our fears. They insist we are silly and unreasonable about the things that make us lie awake at night. But did you know that God takes our fears very seriously? In fact God tells us 150 times in the Bible. “Fear not!” Rather than lecturing us God offers us a promise, a reminder and a solution. He has promised to be with us. He doesn’t tell us;”Take three of these, drink lots of water and call me in the morning.” No God promises to constantly remain at our side. He is there through our sleepless nights and stays close when we are afraid. Next, God reminds us that not only will He be with us but that He will strengthen us. He will pour out on us the oil and wine of His presence when we have been wounded and carries us when we can’t go on. Last of all our God is a practical God. When the apostle Peter tried walking out on the water toward Jesus we are told that he became afraid and started to sink. I am so glad that Jesus didn’t just stand with his arms folded saying, “Come on Peter you can do it!”

No! We are told that as Peter began to sink Jesus immediately reached down and took his hand. I am so glad that on days when I feel I am sinking that He helps me to walk all through this year with all 150 “Fear Nots”!

A Turtle’s Eye View

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”    Matthew 14:30 ESV

I never thought there was much connection between turtles and storms until the day I met a snapping turtle in the middle of the dirt road near the farm pond. He (or she) was plodding slowly across and being curious I went to get a closer look. At first the turtle stopped and pulled into his shell and closed his eyes. I’m not sure if he thought I might miss him sitting there in the middle of the road but as I came closer he changed tactics. He stretched out his neck stood up on his feet and opened his powerful beak ready to bite. Though I meant him no harm I’m sure that from his turtle’s eye view I looked like a giant intent on making him into turtle soup!

animal turtle tortoise depth of field

Photo by daniyal ghanavati on Pexels.com

All of us are afraid sometimes. Like the turtle on the road or Peter trying to walk on water; we are afraid of what might happen next.  That defensiveness even creeps into our relationship with God. Rather than trusting that His control over life’s the circumstances we view them as a threat and try to hide in our own shell. At other times when we even snap at God or the people around us who are just trying to help.

The good news is that when we are afraid and cry for help Jesus reaches down and catches us just as He did for Peter. God hears our cries and comes to our rescue. He has no plans to make us into soup; instead He pulls us up to walk on water with him all the way back to the boat!