Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the World English Bible, ebible.org, all rights reserved)

You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, neither will you be afraid of destruction when it comes. You will laugh at destruction and famine, neither will you be afraid of the animals of the earth. For you will be allied with the stones of the field. The animals of the field will be at peace with you.
Job 5:21-23 (emphasis added)

Do you seek the Lord? That is the root of everything. When Saul was replaced as king over Israel, the Lord selected a man who sought after His heart. Say what you will about David, he had his fair share of missteps and mistakes. He murdered a man. He committed adultery. These are not exactly godly traits. They are not what we look for in our leaders. But David was a man of honest repentance. When he was called to account on anything, he repented. He performed restitution when he could. He was chastised and took his chastisement as good and right. He altered his behaviour. For any of his mistakes that are recorded, he did not make them a second time. He got right with the Lord and he sought to stay right with the Lord. He loved the Lord and could not bear to be apart from Him. Do you seek the Lord?

In today’s world we have so much at our fingertips. Rarely a day goes by without being able to check in with people all around the world. To see what they are doing. To watch the content they are creating. Humour, drama, cooking, goofiness, educational, romantic, informational, musical, and any other category that you can think of. We have entertainment coming to us from every crack and cranny of the World Wide Web. Digital television stations with reams of original programs. Sports extravaganzas. Digitised movies from every epoch of their creation. And that’s not counting the animation, documentary, news, or animation branches of entertainment. If you have access to technology, you have access to hours upon hours of content to occupy your mind.

If you aren’t technologically minded, or you don’t have access to it, there is still a ream of things to occupy yourself. There’s the cooking, feeding, and caring for a family—or yourself, for that matter. There are chores, gardening, mechanical tinkering, dealing with finances, and hobbies. Activities like hiking, fishing, biking, or playing sports. There is reading, knitting, crafting, writing, painting, horseback riding, drawing, and musical instruments. There are friends to get together with and talk to. There are stores to go to. Restaurants to eat at. There is education. There is farming. Taking care of animals, planting crops, and transportation of all those things. There is sightseeing, driving, flying, escape rooms, and paintball. There is something for everyone and more than enough of just functioning in life to keep us occupied.

How much of it is necessary? How much of what we call life is needed? Oh, people lose their minds if they’re cooped up. They bemoan their mental health—and I am not invalidating that. But much of that is because of how we have learned to structure our lives. It isn’t really about life. It’s not about quality of life either. It’s about what we THINK is quality of life. It’s not about how many things you can do, how many places you can go, or how many people you see or not. All of those things are a distraction. They are what we have decided as a culture makes up life. Go into the deep jungles or islands of this world and you’ll meet humans who have rich lives with none of what we call life.

I’m not knocking everything. I’m not saying we should all be running around as hunter-gatherers. I am not against technology. I am saying this: in all of the trappings of what we want life to be, where is God? Are we seeking Him? “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation nor turning shadow” (James 1:17). If it’s truly good, it’s from God. If it is something that we SAY is good, but ultimately causes harm then it is not from God. There is some delicious food out there, so we say that it is good. But it is horrific for your body and will kill you given enough time consuming it. So where is our filter? Where is our individual and collective drive to decide what is good and what is not? What is from the Lord and what is not? What will help us and what will harm us? Shouldn’t we be bringing the Lord into everything we do? Shouldn’t we be letting Him vet what we do, read, and watch? And with what frequency? Are we seeking the Lord?

Do a search for how do you seek the Lord and you get results like ‘10 Powerful Ways to Seek God and His Presence’, ‘7 Ways I Can Seek the Lord’, ‘10 Promises of Seeking God’, and a dozen variations of ‘How Do You Seek the Lord?’ I’m not knocking them. There is value in the information and approach. But I’m not talking about a bible study or an emergency finding of God. I’m talking about a heart attitude. Because that is what it comes down to. We are either seeking to have more of the Lord and less of the world or more of the world and less of the Lord. Part of the problem—a major part—is that we are in flesh bodies that process time in a particular way. We see the present, are blind to the future, and try to avoid the past. We are all about the now. God is not. God is about all of it. In Exodus He calls Himself ‘I AM’. There is a plurality to it. There is a now as well as future from the past to it. Yes, it is confusing. The God that was is becoming the God that will be right now. That’s about the best way I know to explain it. The difference is that we are looking at now or at the immediate future. When we think eternity we start populating it with clouds and harps. God looks at all that was, all that is happening now, and all that will happen in the future forever. That perspective difference is what our challenge is.

We know that we will be with the Lord in heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:17). We know that we will worship the Lord (Revelation 22:3). We know that… well we think that… Nope. That’s about all we have. We don’t have any concept about what we are going to be doing. Not really. Jesus talks about rooms/mansions/booths in John 14:2. What there is depends on your translation and what you know about Hebrew and the Old Testament. But there is something there that is being prepared for us. But what will we DO? That’s how the human mind works. We think of worshipping the Lord forever and cannot help but either gloss over what that means to our mind or start wondering when it will get boring. In reality, it cannot ever get boring. There are living creatures circling the throne—like that is their only task—singing to the Lord (Revelation 4:8). They don’t get bored because God is always doing something and there is always something new. But to our minds it SEEMS boring. One thing. Forever.

Is that what is causing our lacklustre seeking of the Lord? Our perception that at its core it is boring? That we’re facing monk robes and nun habits? That we will need to swear off everything good? It is a concern we have, isn’t it? Not something we fear, but something that we consider when making our decisions. There is a lot of good quality, well-produced material in the world. Made by genuine nice and engaging people. And yes, we may have to give some of it up. Because they are not motivated by the love of God, they are not spreading the moral standards of the Lord, and they are not promoting a lifestyle that is righteous. They are caught up in the world of feelings and they promote those things that feel good—whether they truly are good or not and without thought to whether or not the Lord approves of them. If our goal is to be close to God, should we be focusing and filling our minds with that material—no matter how well-done and entertaining it is?

Maybe we’re just caught up in the immediacy of right now. We let the problems, chores, and life-ness of life take our mind away from God. We fill our days with the things we need to do to get by, and we don’t spend any time with Him. We don’t look to the Word. We don’t listen or watch any teaching. We don’t spend much if any time worshipping. It becomes a once-a-week thing. Or rote prayers at the table before we shovel down our food. Maybe we just get busy with busyness.

Or maybe the issue is how we view our source material. We look at the bible and we see a bunch of rules and ancient cultural practices. We look at our lives and see no correlation to it. We have medical science, malls, speed boats, and high powered rifles. But we shouldn’t mingle seeds in a field or boil a young goat in its mother’s milk? We see things about menstruation and think of them as barbarians. Because we mistake thinking of the bible as rules men made up. It’s easy to do. Every other religion does it. But the Word isn’t a man-made book. The Word isn’t a list of rules and commands for us to follow—although those things are there. The Word is a book revealing to us the heart of the Father. It reveals to us the morals of God. It reveals to us a lifestyle of worship. The menstruation rules weren’t about women being dirty. It was about pointing out the importance of blood. The value of it. That it should never be taken for granted. That there were reasons for it and for not treating it as something that is ordinary or average. If we don’t value blood and what it represents, the sacrifices needed to cover our sins would mean nothing. If the sacrifices mean nothing, then Jesus’ sacrifice to eliminate sin would mean nothing. If Jesus’ sacrifice means nothing, how then can we be saved? Blood is important and the monthly cycle of a woman’s body was a good way to remind us of that. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood. I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life” (Leviticus 17:11).

The Word is meant to retrain us. To renew our minds from the stagnation of sin back to the vibrant and useful thinking machines they were originally. They were once connected to the Lord in an intimate way. We get the opportunity to re-connect them. As we do that, we are driven to seek the Lord. Because knowing that there is more out there is a driving passion of humanity. You can see that right across the spectrum of human endeavour. We want to go explore the far reaches of everything there is. Everything there is is wrapped up in the Lord. His hand is on it all. He is it all (1 Corinthians 15:28). We seek the Lord because it is hardwired into our DNA to seek what matters. The Lord is the only thing that truly matters, so we seek Him. We are supposed to seek the Lord first—putting that above other things and making it the first priority, not an afterthought. “You shall call on me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You shall seek me and find me, when you search for me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:12-13). That’s the Lord’s roadmap right there. Call on the Lord. Pray to the Lord. Seek the Lord. To seek something is to go in search of, to look for, to try to acquire or gain, to aim at. We do that by praying. We pray to the Lord.

When praying, we follow a very loose formula. We enter His presence with thanksgiving. We praise our way in. It can be with lots of music and singing. It can be quiet meditation on who God is. Worship really is acknowledging God. In recognising that Yahweh is who He is and there is none other like Him. Psalms can really help with this, but even looking out your window and gazing on this world that He made. The sky. The clouds. The birds. The wind. The weather. Ruminate a few moments on the care He took in crafting it all. The minute details that He placed. Even something as simple as a piece of grass has striations and patterns along its blade. He left nothing to chance and layered process upon process to enable growth and development into the forms we see today as well as the forms they will take tomorrow.

However you do it, bring to mind the majesty of God. The wonder of God. The beauty of God. The mercy. The love. The righteousness. Acknowledge them. Acknowledge Him. And thank Him that as magnificent and almighty as He is, He has welcomed us into the family. Into the fold. As beloved children. In Jesus, co-heirs to the promises of the Word (Galatians 3:29). By Grace through Faith (Romans 4:16). We can call Him Father (Romans 8:15). More than just Father, we can call Him Daddy (Galatians 4:6). “So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:7).

As beloved and obedient children, we need to do more than acknowledge who He is. We also need to submit to Him. Because we are so much less than His perfection. If He can do everything, we have to acknowledge that in ourselves we can do nothing. To be humble in the face of His majesty. To submit to His righteous spirit. To submit to His Son. “if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). In Jesus we live and have something. Without Jesus, we are nothing. We have to abide in Him (John 15). It is through Jesus that we are able to stand before the Father. Without Jesus we would be lost outside, unable to get near. No matter how good we are, we fall short. It is only Jesus that gets us in (John 10:9).

If we are obedient, then we seek His will. His thoughts. His morals. What pleases Him? Do you know? Have you checked it out? Studied it out? Read the Law as it was given to Moses (start with Exodus 21-24 and 31-35). Then read Jesus’ teaching on the side of the mountain (Matthew 5-7). Find the ways that Jesus fulfills the spirit of the Law of Moses. See how if you do what Jesus commands us to (Matthew 22:37-40). How can you apply these principles to your life? Do you already keep them in your actions? How about your heart? Is this how you approach life, or is there something that is an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to correct you? We shouldn’t avoid correction but embrace it (Proverbs 1:23). Don’t worry. It won’t be the entire house cleaned out all at once. Sanctification is a life-long journey. Never rushed, but also never paused. Every day, we strive to be a little more like Jesus.

Why all this seeking? Because of what we get when we find Him – as you always do when you seek Him (Matthew 7:7-8). When we seek Him, all the rest follows. He IS our Good Shepherd. You will have no lack (Psalm 24). You will have peace in your confidence in God’s ability to meet your needs (Matthew 6:31-32). Check out Genesis 3:21. In the midst of Adam and Eve’s rebellion, God did not abandon them. He could clearly see their best effort. And it wasn’t doing much to cover them. Well, it covered them, but it was kind of a pitiful effort. Kind of like a young child doing a complex art project for the first time with no help from an adult. Enthusiastic, kind of looks like it should, rough around the edges, and room for a LOT of improvement. God clothed them. He did this for unrepentant people – though the people did love Him. How much more will He do for those who are seeking Him? He does it all. He blesses us with everything He has (Philippians 4:19) – as much as we can handle as we can handle it.

Seeking the Lord isn’t winning a lottery. It isn’t us making God do what we want, give us what we want, grab what we want, and have all we want. No. Quite the opposite (James 4:3). Our Father is a GOOD Father. He will not give us anything that will in and of itself cause us to stumble and fall. He will not give us anything bad. He will not give us anything that we cannot handle. If we tend toward overeating, a ton of junk food isn’t going to be coming to us from the Lord because we would indulge in gluttony. No, He meets us where we are. Where we have put our faith. In what He is His wisdom knows that we need and we can use wisely. It’s fine to tell Him your wants, but don’t nag Him. No one likes that, do they? Tell Him and move on. Needs though, we don’t really need to mention those. He supplies those.

If God is your source, we don’t fear upheaval. We don’t fear problems and issues. We know that He is right there. We cannot see Him. We cannot feel Him. But He is there. We can be confident of His presence. We can be confident that He has made a way. I mean, an unexpected blessing comes at just the right time and we praise the Lord and thank Him for His foreknowledge. We say how great God is because He knew we’d need this right at this moment. Wow. But we turn around and when some unexpected thing happens we run screaming and crying to the Lord, noses snotting, wailing because this thing happened and He needs to know about it! As if God only knew and provided for the good. Good or bad, when something happens that is NOT when God learned about it. God knows the end of all things and has known it from the very beginning (Isaiah 46:10). He has made a way (Isaiah 45:12-13). The question is whether we will walk in it.

If we are seeking Him, we will find Him. In prayer. In study of the word – grab a commentary and look up verses that grab you. In worship with our singing and with our thinking. Humble before Him. Acknowledging His place and our place and their respective differences. We will hear His voice because we are His people. We know His voice (John 10:27-28). Jesus continues in verses 29 and 30 of John 10 saying “My Father who has given them to me is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”” We are His and we are in His hand.

For those who seek Him, there is no need of fear. We revere the Lord and out of that reverential love seek to do what He wants. We want to find it out and then walk it out. Believing the Word and receiving it. It doesn’t matter if there are supply chain issues. God can take a little and make a lot (1 Kings 17:1-16). Don’t worry if your friends and neighbours are also in dire straights. God can exponentially grow what we have (Matthew 14:15-21). We are blessed in order to bless others. We are taken care of and needn’t fear. It doesn’t matter if the financial systems of the world crash and burn and turn into something else entirely. It will be chaotic for the world, but not for you if you seek the Lord. Why? Because He is our provider (Psalm 145:15-16). We need not worry. We should not fear. What can man and his systems do to us when we are cared for and protected by God Most High (Psalm 27)?

Listen to His voice and obey Him. Don’t step where He doesn’t want you to go. Don’t stay behind when He wants you to move. Do what He says, when He says, and how He says. God comes to us wanting to do things in and through us because He gave us dominion here. We are the renters of His world and our suite is ours. We have rights here. He respects that. But He wants to come in and fix things up. Not just for us but for all humanity. We need to let Him in. But once in, we need to do what He says. Not because He is a bully or demanding. We do it because we trust in Him. We love Him. We want to do what He wants because He knows that it will always, ALWAYS be better than we can imagine. He doesn’t think just about our needs, but about the needs of everyone else around us.

In times of trouble we will be a light. A light so bright that everyone who knows us and witnesses us will want to know what is going on. Why aren’t we upset? Why aren’t we panicked? Why aren’t we hoarding? We’ll be able to honestly answer and say, ‘Because of the Lord. Jesus provides for me. He never lets me down.’ They may mock and scorn your answer to your face, but as things go on there you will be. Standing on a rock. Even the wild animals not ripping up your garden or eating your stores. Carnivores giving you the nod as they pass by instead of gnawing on your leg. The people may walk away bah humbugging, but your life of confidence in the Father Almighty will niggle at them. They won’t be able to deny that you aren’t an idiot. You see what is going on. But you’re not worried and moreso, you are prospering as time goes on. Supernaturally. By the hand of God. A witness to the world.

Don’t fear. Seek Him. Don’t panic. Seek Him. Don’t hoard. Seek Him. Seek Him always, in all ways. Because He is the Lord and deserves being sought after. He is the Lord and there is NONE like Him. “Yahweh is righteous in all his ways, and gracious in all his works. Yahweh is near to all those who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him. He also will hear their cry, and will save them. Yahweh preserves all those who love him, but he will destroy all the wicked. My mouth will speak the praise of Yahweh. Let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever” (Psalm 145:17-21). Amen.

Daily Affirmation of God’s Love: 1 Peter 1:3-5

When you love someone, you want them to be better today than they were yesterday. That doesn’t mean you seek to change them. You aren’t responsible to fix them, alter them, grow them, or anything else. It is their responsibility to do them. But it is YOUR responsibility to enable them. To empower them to prosper. If you aren’t being a positive influence on them, do you even love them? If you aren’t supporting them in what they want to be, is it love? If you aren’t helping them become who they want to be, is it love? It isn’t always easy. Sometimes you have to use tough love. You have to tell them that something is beyond them. That this direction is not the direction for them, regardless of their feelings. But those are rare times. Most of the time we are needing to support them, do research with or for them, help them, hold them. God does the same with us. He made us in Christ to be born into a living hope. We entered into Jesus’ resurrection with Him. We now have something before us that we have never before had. Better than a dream. A hope. A hope we can trust in. A hope we can rely on. An incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that cannot fade away, wash away, be given away, or any other way. It is there, guarded by faith. Our faith and His faith. Working together to enrich us. In spirit and in mind. In body and in heart. Moving us from corruptible to incorruptible. From frail to phenomenal in Jesus. God empowers us to walk in Him, rejoice in Him, and live in Him. He supports us, corrects us, teaches us, and influences us through His Holy Spirit. Never doubt His love. Never scorn it. Never avoid it. Embrace it, believe it, receive it, and walk in it. Every day.

Your Daily Confession of God’s love to YOU:

Today God loves that I _______.