Fear--What are you afraid of?
Fear is a funny thing...sometimes.
Doesn't that about sum it up?
I find it fascinating when I hear someone tell me that they are afraid of something, and yet they want to get a closer look. Why? That usually has a set of humorous responses worthy of a YouTube video.
I remember one of my first experiences of seeing someone truly afraid. And it was strange.
I was a small child, probably 5 or 6, and my family was at the zoo. My brother and mom and grandma and I had come together, and we were walking into the exhibit that had the fish. It was cool, and we were pretty engrossed with that different sizes and colors of fish that they had--huge difference from the 2 gold fish we had at home.
As we were walking and chattering away, I remember seeing 2 large doors--the kind that were on hinges on the outsides, that swung back and forth when you opened them. I remember that they were black, and thick, and each one had a small window that was taller than me.
Then it happened...
We walked through the doors, and a transformation occurred.
My normally sweet grandma; my quiet, keep-to-herself, low-and-slow, easy going grandma transformed. She threw up her hands. She screamed. She didn't stop screaming.
You see, we had just walked into the snake and reptile exhibit--she was terrified of snakes.
It was the first time, for that matter--the only time in my life that I saw my grandma run. And did she run. Screaming constantly, she ran--not out the door we came in...no, that would have made sense, she ran through the entire exhibit. As she screamed, and waved her arms in the air, all the while wearing her stylish warm black fur, people moved. As I look back on this moment, I think that they too were experiencing a kind of fear that was unfamiliar with most. I mean, who wants to explain to their friends in Heaven, "yeah, I got here after I stepped in to rescue a child from a burning car. I got here after decades of faithful work on our farm where I cared for my family. Hey Bob, how'd you wrap things up? Ummmm, I got run over by a grandma... Wow, in a car, they should've pulled her license. No, not a car..."
Really.
How are you going to live that one down?
For eternity there will be a parody of that Christmas song with your name on it--(you know the one; the Octogenarian VS. the Rangifer tarandus volarus on a venture from familial domus)
I was stunned. I simply didn't know what to say or do. My brain couldn't even process what just happened. What does one say on an occasion such as this?
So, my mom walked us through the rest of the exhibit.
I do remember walking outside and wondering what would greet us? What would she say? Would there be a crowd?
The second strangest thing that day happened...
She walked up to us, fell in line, and nothing more was said. It was like nothing ever happened.
I wanted to ask. I wanted to run back and talk with the folks in the exhibit to see if what I saw was real. Did this really just happen? But, we just kept walking. "Oh look, an Eagle..."
Really?
Fear is a funny thing.
I learned that day that some folks don't necessarily want to talk about fear. Which is why when I read Luke 12: 4-7 it caught my eye. Jesus not only was talking about fear, but was telling us to be afraid.
“'I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell.[a] Yes, I tell you, fear him! 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies?[b] And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.'"
Jesus mentions fear 5 times in 4 verses. OK
Jesus first says don't be afraid. 'Don't be afraid of those who can kill the body...'
Whoa--Really. I'm pretty sure that death, and the manner of one's death is something we are afraid of Jesus.
Jesus then says...'they can't do anything after that.'
This is THAT moment in the horror movie. You know. The moment when the character seems to have DONE LOST THEIR MIND and instead of making the normal, sane, reasonable choice; they decide to open the door and go back into the long dark hallway where the scary noise just came from.
Ummmmmmm, Jesus...What do you mean..."after that?"
Then Jesus says, 'be afraid, be very afraid of the one who can cast you into Hell.'
"YOU MEAN IT'S REAL?!?!?"
Pardon me a moment...I'll be right back...
Then Jesus says, 'Did you know that God knows and cares for all the little birds--He doesn't forget them. He also has numbered every hair on your head. You matter deeply to God. Don't be afraid.'
Whaaaaa.....OK
Jesus. You tell me to not fear man, but I should fear God. Because there is something much bigger going on than just man trying to create and run a paper kingdom. OK.
You then tell me that I should be paying attention to the real Kingdom, God's Kingdom; His standards, His boundaries--because if I am out of line with those when I stand before Him after I die I will be tossed into Hell. (Wow, it's really real....that's terrifying)
Then, in my panic, You turn my eyes to the little creatures, the minute details of my hair--and You remind me of Your never-stopping, never-giving-up, always-and-forever-love.
If you read on in Luke 12 (which you should, I'll give you the link at the end of this) it says that if we are ready to proclaim Jesus as Lord--leader of my life--He will stand up for that person at that moment before God.
Wow.
Jesus gives a clear reality check here. Don't fear this but do fear this, and yet, if you are with me, fear not. And yet, here's the funny thing. There's still fear. Some fear we need to see for what it is. Some fear helps to need to re-calibrate us, and in some fear Jesus comforts us with His presence and truth--which gives us courage (doing the right thing in the midst of fear (not the absence of fear)) to stand up for Jesus.
If you don't know Jesus as Lord (leader) and you haven't received His gift of forgiveness...
If you aren't sure what would happen if you were to stand before God today...
Here is a link to what the Bible has to say about God's love for you, and how He has rescued you, and how you can make sure you can have that conversation with God, with a confidence that allows you to live it out in your life today--and in the future when you stand before God you will be sure what will happen.
http://takingnextstepswithjesus.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-gospel-gods-rescue-plan.html
Here is the link to the passage Luke 12: 1-13. Take some time to read it through and talk with God about what scares you.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+12&version=ESV
May God bless you and keep you, may He cause His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you, and may He give you His peace. In Jesus name, Amen
Doesn't that about sum it up?
I find it fascinating when I hear someone tell me that they are afraid of something, and yet they want to get a closer look. Why? That usually has a set of humorous responses worthy of a YouTube video.
I remember one of my first experiences of seeing someone truly afraid. And it was strange.
I was a small child, probably 5 or 6, and my family was at the zoo. My brother and mom and grandma and I had come together, and we were walking into the exhibit that had the fish. It was cool, and we were pretty engrossed with that different sizes and colors of fish that they had--huge difference from the 2 gold fish we had at home.
As we were walking and chattering away, I remember seeing 2 large doors--the kind that were on hinges on the outsides, that swung back and forth when you opened them. I remember that they were black, and thick, and each one had a small window that was taller than me.
Then it happened...
We walked through the doors, and a transformation occurred.
My normally sweet grandma; my quiet, keep-to-herself, low-and-slow, easy going grandma transformed. She threw up her hands. She screamed. She didn't stop screaming.
You see, we had just walked into the snake and reptile exhibit--she was terrified of snakes.
It was the first time, for that matter--the only time in my life that I saw my grandma run. And did she run. Screaming constantly, she ran--not out the door we came in...no, that would have made sense, she ran through the entire exhibit. As she screamed, and waved her arms in the air, all the while wearing her stylish warm black fur, people moved. As I look back on this moment, I think that they too were experiencing a kind of fear that was unfamiliar with most. I mean, who wants to explain to their friends in Heaven, "yeah, I got here after I stepped in to rescue a child from a burning car. I got here after decades of faithful work on our farm where I cared for my family. Hey Bob, how'd you wrap things up? Ummmm, I got run over by a grandma... Wow, in a car, they should've pulled her license. No, not a car..."
Really.
How are you going to live that one down?
For eternity there will be a parody of that Christmas song with your name on it--(you know the one; the Octogenarian VS. the Rangifer tarandus volarus on a venture from familial domus)
I was stunned. I simply didn't know what to say or do. My brain couldn't even process what just happened. What does one say on an occasion such as this?
So, my mom walked us through the rest of the exhibit.
I do remember walking outside and wondering what would greet us? What would she say? Would there be a crowd?
The second strangest thing that day happened...
She walked up to us, fell in line, and nothing more was said. It was like nothing ever happened.
I wanted to ask. I wanted to run back and talk with the folks in the exhibit to see if what I saw was real. Did this really just happen? But, we just kept walking. "Oh look, an Eagle..."
Really?
Fear is a funny thing.
I learned that day that some folks don't necessarily want to talk about fear. Which is why when I read Luke 12: 4-7 it caught my eye. Jesus not only was talking about fear, but was telling us to be afraid.
“'I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell.[a] Yes, I tell you, fear him! 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies?[b] And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.'"
Jesus mentions fear 5 times in 4 verses. OK
Jesus first says don't be afraid. 'Don't be afraid of those who can kill the body...'
Whoa--Really. I'm pretty sure that death, and the manner of one's death is something we are afraid of Jesus.
Jesus then says...'they can't do anything after that.'
This is THAT moment in the horror movie. You know. The moment when the character seems to have DONE LOST THEIR MIND and instead of making the normal, sane, reasonable choice; they decide to open the door and go back into the long dark hallway where the scary noise just came from.
Ummmmmmm, Jesus...What do you mean..."after that?"
Then Jesus says, 'be afraid, be very afraid of the one who can cast you into Hell.'
"YOU MEAN IT'S REAL?!?!?"
Pardon me a moment...I'll be right back...
Then Jesus says, 'Did you know that God knows and cares for all the little birds--He doesn't forget them. He also has numbered every hair on your head. You matter deeply to God. Don't be afraid.'
Whaaaaa.....OK
Jesus. You tell me to not fear man, but I should fear God. Because there is something much bigger going on than just man trying to create and run a paper kingdom. OK.
You then tell me that I should be paying attention to the real Kingdom, God's Kingdom; His standards, His boundaries--because if I am out of line with those when I stand before Him after I die I will be tossed into Hell. (Wow, it's really real....that's terrifying)
Then, in my panic, You turn my eyes to the little creatures, the minute details of my hair--and You remind me of Your never-stopping, never-giving-up, always-and-forever-love.
If you read on in Luke 12 (which you should, I'll give you the link at the end of this) it says that if we are ready to proclaim Jesus as Lord--leader of my life--He will stand up for that person at that moment before God.
Wow.
Jesus gives a clear reality check here. Don't fear this but do fear this, and yet, if you are with me, fear not. And yet, here's the funny thing. There's still fear. Some fear we need to see for what it is. Some fear helps to need to re-calibrate us, and in some fear Jesus comforts us with His presence and truth--which gives us courage (doing the right thing in the midst of fear (not the absence of fear)) to stand up for Jesus.
If you don't know Jesus as Lord (leader) and you haven't received His gift of forgiveness...
If you aren't sure what would happen if you were to stand before God today...
Here is a link to what the Bible has to say about God's love for you, and how He has rescued you, and how you can make sure you can have that conversation with God, with a confidence that allows you to live it out in your life today--and in the future when you stand before God you will be sure what will happen.
http://takingnextstepswithjesus.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-gospel-gods-rescue-plan.html
Here is the link to the passage Luke 12: 1-13. Take some time to read it through and talk with God about what scares you.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+12&version=ESV
May God bless you and keep you, may He cause His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you, and may He give you His peace. In Jesus name, Amen
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