Fear No Fear

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

“Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence; and he stuck the spear into the wall. David fled and escaped that night. Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “If you don’t save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” So Michal let David down through the window. He went away, fled, and escaped.”
(1 Samuel 19:10-12)

“Why are you in despair, my soul?
    Why are you disturbed within me?
Hope in God! For I shall still praise him,
    the saving help of my countenance, and my God.”
(Psalm 42:11)

“Why are you in despair, my soul?
    Why are you disturbed within me?
Hope in God!
    For I shall still praise him:
    my Savior, my helper, and my God.”
(Psalm 43:5)

“For it was not an enemy who insulted me,
    then I could have endured it.
Neither was it he who hated me who raised himself up against me,
    then I would have hidden myself from him.
But it was you, a man like me,
    my companion, and my familiar friend.
We took sweet fellowship together.
    We walked in God’s house with company.”
(Psalm 55:12-14)

Saul was jealous. Saul was threatened. Saul could see and feel that the Lord wasn’t with him anymore. Saul was so destitute in his relationship with God that he actively tried to kill the one who had the anointing Saul used to have. He knew who God’s chosen was. It was obvious. And he put all his resources and will to killing David. The boy who he celebrated. The boy who brought him peace in times of trouble. The young man who was his son-in-law. In spite of all they did together, Saul turned everything into a weapon against David. He wanted David dead and hounded that young man at every turn. He knew what was right, but Saul chose to do wrong to David again and again and again.

David had nothing against Saul. David didn’t hold any of it against Saul. He gave Saul honour. He performed his duty. David did his best for Saul. David never turned against Saul. He was able to do that because David put his trust in the Lord. David brought his complaints and concerns to God and let God figure it out. David didn’t give in to fear because he KNEW that God could handle ALL of it. Every spear, every plot, every armed man brought against him. Every manoeuvre. Every battle. David gave it ALL to God and trusted that God was good enough and more than enough for all of those problems. David left it in God’s lap and continued to act according to the moral character of God that had been revealed in the Word and through his relationship with the Almighty.

Summary

We talk a big game in church and in our devotional time, but we don’t always walk it out. We don’t always exercise our trust on a day to day basis. Things come against us and we crumble. Gas prices, food prices, the machinations of government, the crowds and groups of people determined to embrace broken ways, our jobs and coworkers, and our relationships – whether casual, acquaintance, or intimate. But no matter WHAT is coming on us, we don’t HAVE to accept it. We can give it to God. We can take it to the foot of the cross and leave it right there where He can do something with it (1 Peter 5:6-7). Even when our closest relationships fail us, God NEVER fails us. We can trust Him. We can refuse to be anxious, refuse to be depressed, and refuse to be stressed. We can replace all that negativity by trusting that God CAN and WILL do what He SAYS He can and will do. We can exchange all the nasty for all the blessings of the Lord (Ephesians 1:3). We can give it to God and RELY on Him. In EVERYTHING. Doesn’t matter how SMALL and it doesn’t matter how BIG. We can take it like medicine. He is bigger, better, and MORE THAN ENOUGH for ALL of it. Trust in Him and His Word. You’ll NEVER be disappointed. He is FAITHFUL. He is TRUE. He is a GOOD God!