Standing Up To Fear
“There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear.”
~1 John 4:18 (The Message)
Vacuuming has not been my favorite pastime, and my dog, Isaac, has liked it even less. Granted, the chore grew on me after my sister and her family gave me a powerful vacuum for my birthday the year Isaac appeared. (Yes, I knew I had reached adulthood when I asked for a vacuum cleaner for my birthday!)
For a long time, when I would turn on the vacuum, Isaac would run to the end of the house farthest from the noise. He never barked at the machine, but he didn’t waste time getting away from it. More recently, he has changed his tune. He still doesn’t want to be in the room with the machine when it’s running, but his departure is less of a leap and more of a stroll.
He’s developed a habit of confronting the vacuum cleaner. He inches closer to it, staring at it as if in a negotiation, then calmly walks away. He has learned that while he doesn’t like the vacuum, it doesn’t steal his peace.
We two-leggeds tend to bury our fears. We harbor and nurse them to the point that we cling to them. We hide not the Word of God in our hearts but rather words that convince us we are not enough. Perhaps four-leggeds like Isaac can remind us that many of our fears are just a lot of noise, and we can stand up to them.
The next time you feel familiar fears rising up, stand on God’s Word. Speak the promises of Scripture that God’s children are strong and of good courage. Declare the words Jesus spoke to the wind and the waves. Stand up and face the vacuum cleaner with the confidence that nothing will steal your peace.
all good things to each of you,
Pastor Darian
Lectionary Texts for August 12, 2018
2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33
Psalm 130
Ephesians 4:25 – 5:2
John 6:35, 41-51