Peace, be still! Mark 4:39 (NKJV)
The Other Side – Fear Part 2
Go to PART 1
Jesus was often asking, telling and encouraging people to cross to the other side. And not just in a journey sense… He was always moving away from the centre of things to the edges of life. He didn’t play it safe in the middle of the crowd but pushed the boundaries. He ate with tax collectors and prostitutes, he made disciples of ordinary folk, he befriended the weird and healed the outcast and forgotten. He humbly met with men in power at midnight to answer their questions, and he told parables that upset the status quo. And he did all this so that years later we could look back and see that narrative of his life. The movement and melody of his days, the unforced rhythms of his grace (more on that later…).
Although it may seem that God is dualistic about fear when we read the words ‘Don’t be afraid,” and then, “Fear the Lord” side by side. But he’s not dualistic, it's not this or that… confusing and cryptic. The Divine is about redemption, resurrection, movement, progress… crossing from one side of fear to the other side of it.
Sometimes we are so busy “fighting fear” and “fearing God” that fear still saps our energy almost as much as it would if we had completely caved into it.
Ultimately, we fear what we cannot control. The fears I listed in yesterday's devotion are mostly things that are out of my control: the death of loved ones, the state of my country, the economy, actions of others that have a direct impact on my heart and life… perhaps to the point of crushing it… The few things I can control become too integrated with the lives of others, that really, the only thing I have control over are my actions, reactions and responses to what happens to me and around me.
This is what fear tries to interrupt. In moments of uncertainty, horror and tragedy, decision making moments, and moments of great opportunity and adventure, fear tries to hi-jack our ability to be present enough to make the actions, reactions and/or responses what they need to be.
I had to laugh at the Oxford Dictionaries definition of fear: “An unpleasant (UNPLEASANT? That’s not what I think when I hear a strange sound in the dead and dark of night, ‘Oh, what an unpleasant feeling I’m having right now. It must be fear.') emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm; The likelihood of something unwelcome( Unwelcome??!!) happening; A mixed feeling of dread and reverence.”
Fear is a disruptive, menacing, and powerful foe. Sometimes we can see it coming, hurtling itself towards us like a rabid dog, and the anticipation, the fear of fear itself is the most horrific (not just unpleasant) feeling. And then sometimes, it creeps up on us from behind, quietly and invisibly. It taps on our shoulders and plays tricks on our minds.
We were not designed to live in or be crippled by fear. However, fear is very real and very present. Anyone who says otherwise is in denial. God never said, “Fear is not real.” Rather, he said, “Do not be afraid.” Do not give in to your fears, don’t bow at their feet or dance to its horrific beat.
Cross to the other side. See your fear, know your fear, and then move beyond it. That's courage.
The disciples woke up Jesus for fear of death when they were crossing the lake while being harassed by an incredible storm (Mark 4). When Jesus opened his eyes and saw what was happening, he didn’t perform a ritual, he didn’t recite the Torah or preach an eloquent sermon, he didn’t shame his friends or demand to know one by one why they were all crying like babies… He simply spoke out into the storm, into their fears,
“Peace, be still.”
He says the same thing over our fear-full world…
Go to Part 3 – Fears and Valleys
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