Fear No Fear

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

“David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be adversaries to me today? Shall any man be put to death today in Israel? For don’t I know that I am king over Israel today?” The king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” The king swore to him. Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither groomed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. When he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?” He answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go with the king,’ because your servant is lame. He has slandered your servant to my lord the king, but my lord the king is as an angel of God. Therefore do what is good in your eyes. For all my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right therefore have I yet that I should appeal any more to the king?” The king said to him, “Why do you speak any more of your matters? I say, you and Ziba divide the land.” Mephibosheth said to the king, “Yes, let him take all, because my lord the king has come in peace to his own house.” Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim; and he went over the Jordan with the king to conduct him over the Jordan. Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even eighty years old. He had provided the king with sustenance while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man. The king said to Barzillai, “Come over with me, and I will sustain you with me in Jerusalem.””
(2 Samuel 17:24-29)

“Come, you children, listen to me.
    I will teach you the fear of Yahweh.
Who is someone who desires life,
    and loves many days, that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil,
    and your lips from speaking lies.
Depart from evil, and do good.
    Seek peace, and pursue it.
Yahweh’s eyes are toward the righteous.
    His ears listen to their cry.
Yahweh’s face is against those who do evil,
    to cut off their memory from the earth.
The righteous cry, and Yahweh hears,
    and delivers them out of all their troubles.
Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart,
    and saves those who have a crushed spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
    but Yahweh delivers him out of them all.
He protects all of his bones.
    Not one of them is broken.
Evil shall kill the wicked.
    Those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.
Yahweh redeems the soul of his servants.
    None of those who take refuge in him shall be condemned.”
(Psalm 34:11-22)

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be healthy, even as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced greatly when brothers came and testified about your truth, even as you walk in truth. I have no greater joy than this: to hear about my children walking in truth.”
(3 John 1:2-4)

When David returned to Jerusalem, returning to his throne and his anointed position, those who had been faithful to him were rewarded. Some were rewarded with physical things or positions. Some felt rewarded simply because David had returned. Many of the enemies of David had been brought low – not through military might, but by a return to position. When a righteous person rules, all is well in the kingdom (Proverbs 29:2). David doesn’t return seeking blood. David tries to return in joy. He certainly returns in thanksgiving. He knows that he didn’t do this thing, but that God had dome this thing.

It is in repentance and aligning ourselves with God’s point of view on any given situation, scenario, or way of thinking that we get peace. We have peace because we know what God thinks about it – enabling us to understand how He will view any given action, thought, or word. We have peace because we understand by aligning with God that He is bigger than the thing. He is bigger and can bring about the conclusion He wants to see brought about. In aligning with Him, we become connected to the Source who is MORE THAN ENOUGH for ANYTHING and EVERYTHING in creation. He is the Source of all things. That gives us an AMAZING amount of confidence and security when we are hand in hand with Him.

Since God is the Source of all things, it is alignment with Him that enables us to fully receive the BLESSING. We take sustenance from Him and that sustenance then feeds everything else. Like a stream that trickles down from a mountain pool and ends up watering the entire mountain and valley below. From Him we get things that are BETTER than feelings. From Him we get the foundation for our relationships. From Him we are given our employment. Our paycheques. Our possessions – and the ability to possess them, not be possessed by them (especially important when it comes to finances). We get our emotional stability from Him. We get EVERYTHING from Him and when we engage it and use it how He intended, we are both blessed and able to be a blessing to other people.

Summary

Living according to love really comes down to us treating every situation as important enough to find out what God would do – and then do according to how God would. To love like He would. To guide like He would. To instruct like He would. To accomplish like He would. To multiply ourselves, our resources, and everything under our hand like He would. To speak like He would. How Jesus operated is how WE should operate. Which is ONLY possible when we are connected to Him, aligned with God, and walking/talking/doing according to the Word (John 15:5). Sometimes it means not doing what we want to do. It always takes looking at things like God does. But we have a helper for that – Holy Spirit – given to us to help provide us perspective on everything so that we can embody Him and be a source of His Light in this world.