Dear family
Fear.
Followers of Jesus Christ experience fear. The disciples did in Getsemane when Jesus was arrested. We were afraid in the past and are going to be in the future. It is a natural emotion.
We fear our safety and security
We fear for our life because of violence, crime and war
We fear not having enough money (poverty)
We fear sickness (ill health)
We fear the future (the unknown)
We fear rejection
We fear failure
We fear criticism
We fear loss of love/someone
We fear death
…. and so I can continue.
If you do not fear anything and can not identify with at least one named above, I am glad for you.
Can you however place yourselves in the shoes of an Ukrainian follower of Jesus hiding in a dark bomb shelter with no food and water, covering their ears for the explosions near by?
I think that most followers of Jesus do experience fear – we must acknowledge it and deal with it. We must help each other in how to face it, how to react to it.
Our response to fear can be natural: fight, flight, freeze
or we can learn from Daniel.
When we’re faced with fear, we can either choose to run away or hide from it, or we can invite God into these places. Like being in a den, we can anticipate what God will do for us when we’re in front of the very thing that scares us.
In these places, God will do the unthinkable and will enable us to sit with lions and be brave over our biggest fears.
I wholeheartedly believe that He wants us to live like this! God doesn’t promise scary things won’t happen, but He does promise He will be with us no matter what. We can face whatever scary situation we’re up against, like facing Daniel’s lions and know our security ultimately comes from Him. We’re not alone in the den. God is with us and He is the One who will give us our peace.
Daniel 6:1-28 tells us of a Bible story in which God does a miraculous thing. A prophet named Daniel is thrown into the lion’s den by King Darius the Mede. God protects Daniel from the lions so that when he is let go the next morning by the king, not one scratch or mark is found on him. The king praises Daniel’s God because of this miracle and issues a new decree to his people saying that “… in all my royal dominion, people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel.”
The story of Daniel in the lion’s den becomes one of the greatest displays of God’s sovereignty over us. The lions in the Bible story now represent present-day situations that may feel uncomfortable to us. A “lion” signifies the fear we may feel from a situation, but like Daniel learned to trust God, we too learn to be brave and trust God with our biggest fears.
May God our Father, through the story of Daniel, move you forward into His continued peace. When faced with something that makes you feel afraid, look to God and think of Daniel. Like sitting with lions, you can also sit with whatever is before you now.
Our Father wants you to understand how much He cares for you, especially in times when you feel afraid.
We pray for everyone who is afraid today. May you be clothed by the Holy Spirit with boldness, love, wisdom and peace.
2 Timothy 1:7 – For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Greetings and Love
dirk