One summer night during a severe thunderstorm, mother was tucking little Jimmy into bed. She was about to turn the light off when Jimmy asked in a trembling voice, "Mommy, will you stay with me all night?" Smiling, the mother gave him a warm, reassuring hug and said tenderly, "I can't dear. I have to sleep in Daddy's room." As she left she heard Jimmy's shaky little voice saying, "The big sissy!"

         In this age of wealth and privilege, it's amazing how much we are afraid of. The list of things to fear seems to grow every day. It's no longer fear over crime or paying bills or the kids staying out of trouble. Now we fear possible offensive speech, or war with an invisible enemy, or our kids getting shot at school. The snipers of fear seem all around us, waiting to gun us down, or at least keep us up worrying about it.

         Fear is a loaded gun. It's handy for hunting or safety from an enemy, but it's dangerous just lying around. Some people avoid fear at all costs while others seem to embrace it. One person's motivation is another person's paralysis. All fear is a result of our sinful condition, and yet when things mount up it can be enough to drive a sane guy nuts.

         A man named Fred recently told me of the terrible day he'd just had. Rather than work late, he decided to come home to have a nice evening with his family. Well, he should have stayed at work! As he drove into his garage a man came by threatening him with a lawsuit if he didn't pay for a dent his son had put in his car with a skateboard. Then his wife told him their daughter's student loans were behind and they'd have to come up with $4000. Then their Child Care Provider called and gave them two weeks notice. And their oldest son decided he and his wife weren't going to repay a loan Dad co-signed for them - something about God's will, he said. And later that night another daughter came down with the flu. As they were going to bed his wife said, "One of my crowns fell out and, oh by the way, the doctor called and said you need a colonoscopy." All this in one evening! Fred concluded, "It's bad enough when one or two things go wrong, but I wouldn't surprised if I'm on the verge of a nervous breakdown."

         Bad days come to us all, but when they are accompanied by bizarre events like what happened this week at Virginia Tech and other parts of our country, it's enough to make a person wonder. What's happening to our country? Are the seams unraveling? Are cracks forming in our culture? Yes, they are. Has God gone on vacation? No! These things are part of "Satan's Little Season" that time Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24 when He warned His disciples - and us - of all the trouble that was yet to come.

         In Isaiah 45:5, God spoke to His people living in the fear of exile. He said, "I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me."

         Those words make it sound like God has everything under His control, and He does, of course! That's a fact we must remember every moment of every day, especially when we feel despair creeping in. Fear can be a useful motivator, but it's a big problem when we try to "go it alone." The fear factor of life is only an obstacle if we let it be.

         St. Paul told young Timothy in our text not to let fear get the upper hand. After all, he said, "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of sound mind." I love how the King James Version uses the term, "a sound mind." The NIV calls it "self-discipline", and misses the real meaning. My friend Fred knows which term is right. A man with many troubles fears losing his mind. Anyone who's ever had a really bad day knows what a blessing it is to have a "sound mind" to deal with it. And that's what God has called us to - "not a spirit of fear, but of power, of love and a sound mind." Whatever fears you may have, don't forget - they're not from God!

         Irrational fears can come to all manner of people. Louis Pasteur is reported to have had such an irrational fear of dirt and infection he refused to shake hands with anyone. President and Mrs. Benjamin Harrison were so intimidated by that newfangled thing called electricity installed in the White House that they never touched the switches. If there were no servants around to turn off the lights when the Harrisons went to bed, they slept with the lights on. Russian Dictator Joseph Stalin so feared for his safety that his residence in Moscow contained eight bedrooms. Each night Stalin chose a different bedroom at random to ensure that no one knew exactly where he was sleeping.

         I raised my boys during the seventies in a small rural area, and don't know what it's like to raise a child today in suburban Denver, Phoenix, or New York. We cannot isolate our children from all danger, but we can insulate them with the power of God's Word. It's a real treasure we have to give, the riches of the Gospel Jesus Christ! This simple message of faith in the Son of God works miracles. It turns hearts from unfaith to faith and changes lives from eternal destruction to eternal life. In the Bible lesson St. Paul calls this, "The grace of God given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, ...not because of anything we have done, but because of His own purpose and grace."

         God loves us with an everlasting love in Jesus. That love, that grace of God, is the most wonderful thing we can have. God loves us no matter what our age or actions. It's not hard to love a tiny newborn, but it's harder for Him to love us when we are older, more set in our ways. There must be times God would like to toss us out and start over. Thanks be to God we still have the promise of the rainbow! It says He will not destroy people as He did in the flood.

         Five-year old Johnny was in the kitchen as his mother made supper. She asked him to go into the big kitchen pantry and get her a can of tomato soup, but Johnny didn't want to go in alone. "It's dark in there and I'm scared." She asked him again, and he still didn't want go. Finally she said, "It's OK. Jesus will be in there with you." Johnny walked hesitantly to the door and slowly opened it. He peeked inside, saw it was dark, and then he said: "Jesus, if you're in there, would you hand me that can of tomato soup?"

         Fear will always be with us. We may dance through life but we can't avoid the jitterbug called of fear. It's as much a part of our daily checklist as joy, confusion, exhilaration or contentment. Some people understand fear better than others - we call them courageous people. They know fear is the substance of courage, so it motivates them to do things that are right and necessary.

         For others of us fear is a four-letter word. We cringe with our fears and let them drive us this way and that, forgetting that God gives us power to overcome it. For some of us, fear can be useful; for others, it's toxic. It poisons relationships, wrecks families, and shakes churches to the core. It's that fear God says we must avoid. He has not called us to run and hide when things go wrong. He has not told us to hide our heads in the sand. In Jesus Christ, God has given us a spirit of power, and love, and He's given us a sound mind. And He wants us to use it for our good and for His glory.

         Two explorers were on a jungle safari when suddenly a ferocious lion jumped in front of them. "Keep calm" the first explorer whispered. "Remember what we read in that book on wild animals? If you stand perfectly still and look the lion in the eye, he will turn and run." "Sure," replied his companion. "You've read the book, and I've read the book. But. has the lion read it?"

         What book are you reading today? Is it a diary filled with anger, resentment or self-fulfillment? Is yours about the search for pleasure? Is what you're reading building you up or tearing you down? Are the pages filled with selfishness or are they filled with humility?

         There's always good news and there's always bad news. The bad news is that, because of sin, we must all live with fear. The Good News is that in Jesus Christ, perfect love casts out fear, the toxic fear, the kind that paralyzes us and keeps us awake nights. In Him we can be courageous, for He is with us wherever we go.

         The Good News is that God insulates us from eternal danger and helps us face our fears. Trust in the Lord. Do not worry about a future you can't control. For this church, do not be afraid - God will provide you with a fine new leader. For your family, do not be afraid - your kids will turn out okay. They will adapt to the times just as we did. For our nation, do not be afraid - we still have more good going for us than bad. I believe God still has good plans for the USA.

         I just pray God will still be honored in a world determined to forget Him. So long as we hold onto the hand of Jesus in faith, we are home free. Faith in Jesus conquers fear, so let's face life each day confidently, knowing God is with us each step of the way.

         When we have strong faith in Jesus, the rest will follow. When you realize how much you are loved, you can relax in the strength of God's mercy. Jesus loves you more than you'll ever know, so live each day with trust. Face your fears head on and hold your head high. Give God His due and watch how He blesses you. Amen

Credits:
 
  Epiphany logo designed and provided by Dale Bargmann at daleb@ecentral.com