The Opposition of Fear is...

With all that is going on around us, it’s a daily battle to not give in to fear or despair; so many headlines, so many changing circumstances, so many unknowns. I know I am grateful for the online Bible teaching and the ability to still hear from our pastors and congregation during this time of social isolation. We are told to increase and display our faith and yes, for such a time as this, that is true.

I read something the other day however that stood out to me as perhaps a missing piece of what we will need to stand, yes, even to grow spiritually during such times as this.

It is Love.

 Ok, if I have not lost you yet, let me explain.

I happened to read Jude 20-21, Amplified Bible: “But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the Holy Spirit; Guard and keep yourselves in the love of God; expect and patiently wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) -[which will bring you] unto life eternal.”

Now we know we need to guard a good bit in our faith. Proverbs 4:23 says to “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” We are to be on guard against our adversary the devil (1 Peter 5:8). We are to be on guard against pride that makes us susceptible to temptation (1 Corinthians 10:12). But Guard and keep myself in the love of Christ?

One of the first examples of this that comes to mind, and is appropriate in so many ways for today, is the story of the disciples in the boat..in a storm...with Jesus..who is sleeping. The storm is raging, the boat is sinking and the Lord is asleep while they are bailing the water and shouting in fear. Finally they approach the Lord and the first thing they ask is, “Master, don’t you care that we are perishing?” And as we know, Jesus rebuked the winds and the waves and then rebuked the disciples for their “little” faith.

Now the disciples knew to get to Jesus as the storm became too great to handle, so they had the faith that He could save them. I am suggesting that Jesus’ rebuke was directly to the question they asked: faith (confidence) in His love for them.

Here, I raise my hand, guilty as charged. How quickly in my intense storms that my faith in His power weakens to the point that I am questioning His love for me more than I question His power over the storm. Here are the thought patterns I am sure you can recognize:

I am with Jesus in the boat, what a great day.

He falls asleep but He is with me.

There is a storm ahead, but that’s ok because I have Jesus with me.

Wow..this storm is a bad one. I am sure Jesus will wake up soon and take care of it.

Right, Jesus?

Jesus, this storm is SO BAD. Why won’t you wake up and do something about it?

Jesus, if you cared, you would wake up and still it.

Jesus, you must not care.

See, I go from faith in His power to lack of faith in His love. And here is where being grounded in God’s love is the antidote to fear.

1 John 4:18 says that “full-grown, (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror!” While the immediate context is of no fear of judgement from God, how applicable this is to us in times of storm! Psalm 131:2 speaks of being like a weaned child, resting with his mother rather than fretting because the child is now no longer in constant need of milk.

I am always humbled by Paul’s great prayer in Ephesians 3: 18-19: “That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth, and the length and height and depth [of it]; [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience].

Yes, I need to “guard and keep myself in the love of God”. In my storms, when Jesus is there with me but not “doing anything”. The cross of the Lord is the ultimate reminder that He who endured my sin will be with me in the times of trial and testing I endure.

Lord I humbly bow at your feet and say Forgive me where my faith focuses on the storm and not on Your love. Keep me and your church filled with this knowledge that surpasses understanding so that we may be so confident of your love that our prayers stay motivated by that instead of fear.

Thank you for loving me, Lord.