Saturday September 5, 2020

Psalm 56:3 says “When I am afraid, I will trust in you.”

Phew…where has this year gone?

The last time I chatted with you was in May! All sorts of funky things have happened in the world since the March Covid lock-down and I was thinking about what has had the most impact on me…

Seeing rampant fear has to be #1 on the list. In social media and on the news we are being fed a steady diet of fear-based sound-bytes and maybe you, like me, are feeling a little poisoned by it. We’re being bombarded with fears over…

 illness

financial disaster

world economies falling apart

 job losses

 sending our kids back to school

being in enclosed places with people

fear  fear  fear

One day I was so tired of it I deleted all my social media profiles. Drastic, yes. Necessary for my mental health…also yes (I’ll talk more about that in another post). I realized one day that I was listening to all the wrong things, I was allowing the wrong message to filter through my life-lens and settle into my heart.

Our verse today is timely, isn’t it wonderful to read David’s words? This man of God, this warrior, this king…faced fear.

“when I am afraid…”

I love that it’s okay to be scared. Satan uses fear to keep us from trusting in the Lord. He wants us paralyzed and ineffective, curled up in a corner scared out of our minds. Snake bit.

Guess what? There is only one antidote for the venom of fear and that is TRUST! It’s the only thing that will save you when you’ve been poisoned by fear.

Our grandchildren came over for a visit a couple of months ago. The oldest decided she wanted to learn how to ride the little motorbike we have. She strapped on the helmet and cinched it tight, jumping onto the bike. Papa knelt down right beside her and showed her all the important features, specifically going over the brake and throttle in detail. He pointed out that the motorbike has training wheels and she could trust them to help her stay upright. She was really excited until it was time to stop talking and start riding.

“But I’m still scared even with the training wheels,” she said to Papa.

I loved his response so much…”Don’t worry, I’ll be right beside you the whole time.”

Isn’t that the same assurance the Lord gives us?

In Deuteronomy 31 we see Moses giving the people of Israel a pep-talk about crossing over the Jordan river and into the Promised Land. We know from the story that Joshua was going to be their new leader because Moses would not be going with them. I can imagine their fear…what, you’re not going? You’ve lead us this far and now we’re going without you? They’re so big, they will fight us! Their fear must have been palpable because Moses says these words to them in vs. 6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” (ESV)

We find these exact words mentioned again in Joshua 1:5 when God commissions Joshua as the next leader of his people. Joshua, probably feeling as much fear as the people needs a gentle reminder from the Lord “…I will not leave you or forsake you.” 

The words from our loving heavenly Father are the same yesterday, today and forever…he will not leave us, he will not forsake us.

So I’d like you to practice something with me:

When you’re afraid to meet with people again, declare: “When I am afraid, I will trust in you.”

When you don’t want to go back to church, declare: “When I am afraid, I will trust in you.”

When you’re facing a health crisis, declare: “When I am afraid, I will trust in you.”

When you’re worried about the future, declare: “When I am afraid, I will trust in you.”

When you’re struggling with depression or anxiety, declare: “When I am afraid, I will trust in you.”

When the world has fallen apart and you just don’t know how to carry on, declare “When I am afraid, I will trust in you.”

Trusting in the Lord is the only antidote to fear.