Facing Fear With Faith

There are a lot of reasons to be afraid today.  The U.S. is currently experiencing an outbreak of the enterovirus D68. Several people on our soil have been infected with the Ebola virus.  We see an even worse virus- a spiritual one- infecting our culture.  Since 1990, the unchurched segment of our adult population has grown from 30% to 43%.  Christians like you and me that hold to Biblical beliefs are targeted for ridicule and hate for being closed-minded and intolerant.  Islamist militant terrorist groups continue to pose a threat to our national security.  There is unrest all around the world. There is much to fear today.

But there has always been much to fear.  A friend of mine recently sent me a U.S. timeline with covers from Time magazine illustrating the never-ending assault of natural disasters, disease, societal problems, political unrest, violence, and war throughout our nation’s history.  There will always be reasons to fear.

But there is always reason to face those fears with the confidence of faith.  Your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is still in control of the entire universe, and he is ruling it for your good.  In the last century, a number of passengers on a steamship traversing Lake Superior became nervous. The boat’s deck was encircled by a heavy fog, yet the captain was steaming full speed ahead. Finally, the passengers went to the first mate, and complained. The mate replied, “Don’t be afraid! The fog lies low, and the captain is high above it. He can see where we are going.”  Your Captain, Jesus Christ, is with you and knows what he is doing, even when you can’t see that.

And you know you can trust him because of how much you know he loves you.  He willing suffered and died for his sins, and rose again, in order to rescue you from the prospect of God’s wrath, from the power of the grave, from the punishment of hell.  He came to replace your fear at all of those things with peace.  He came to replace all your fears at all that makes you afraid with his peace.  Because Jesus is your Savior, because he is with you and is your strength and your salvation (Isaiah 12:2), and is working all things for your good as he promises (Romans 8:28), he reassures you in Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Keep turning to God’s Word and teaching it to your children, and regularly hearing and learning that word in church and Sunday School, for God’s Word strengthens our faith in Jesus and builds trust, confidence, and security no matter what we face.  Keep teaching your kids to bring all their fears to Jesus in prayer, with confidence that he will keep his promise to hear and answer our prayers for our good.  Keep reassuring them with God’s promises that, even if we are hurt, suffer loss, or even die- that nothing can separate us from Christ’s love or keep us from our eternal home in heaven that Jesus has promised us.