Furthering Thoughts
March 30th 2019

Fear.
Many things to fear.

Remember the movie “Arachnophobia” with John Goodman who was battling a barn infested with deranged spiders? As a child that movie struck great fear for the arachnids in my life. To this day, I still fear all creepy crawly things..ie spiders, lizards, mice, snakes etc.

How about you? What do you fear?

From our daily standpoint, it might be that unexpected bill in the mail, or the uncertainty of financial security. Others may fear the unknown of what the future will bring, or the constant chaos of wars and violence plaguing the world, but whatever it is, many would say that what is most feared is death.

Romans 5:12 “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned”.

So many times I would walk into Los Robles Hospital, and many strangers would stop me and discuss their struggle with the fear of death/affliction/suffering/pain. Because indeed, death [and all the rest] can be a very very very terrifying fear in anyone’s mind. And I totally understand their plight.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear” [Ps27:1]. This is my go-to verse in the hospital setting. For the fear of sickness, affliction and death are all too real in our lives. But when we pin fear against our Lord, Jesus dies the death of all deaths by way of the crucifixion, only to rise three days later to be our “pleasing peace”. When we reside in the promise of God’s Word in Holy Baptism, there we find our “pleasing peace”. When we partake of the Sacrament of the Altar, there too we receive our “pleasing peace”.

“Take heart is I, do not be afraid” Jesus says. Because through all the moments of life that seem like an overwhelming avalanche that will never cease, there is our risen Lord, who says, “Peace be with you”.

And yes, the devil will throw everything at you to distract and turn you from Christ promises, but remember, just as Jesus overcame the temptations of the devil in the wilderness, He ultimately crushed the evil foe on the Cross [Gen3:15].

Fear. Yes, there are many things we fear, but through it all, God is always with us. For His word points us to His gracious peace. “Fear not, I have redeemed you, I have called you by name and you are mine” [Is43:1].

Peace be with you!

Blessings on your saturday!

+PrJ