Peace in Fear

 

It is hard to believe that in a few short days we will be celebrating Christmas.  Once again, it seems to have come upon us all too quickly.  We have walked through the Christmas story this Advent, exploring how it has provided us insight not to be afraid.  Whether it was Zechariah, Mary, or the shepherds, in Luke we found the words, “Don’t be afraid” surrounding the birth of Jesus.  Today, I move to Mark when Jesus, himself, states the words, “Don’t be afraid.”

In this context, Jesus is speaking to His disciples as he walks on water to the boat where the waves are tossing the disciples’ boat.  As they saw Jesus walking on the water, they cried out in fear.  Yet, Jesus calmed them and stated the words, ‘Don’t be afraid.’  That brought such peace that Peter was willing to step out of the boat onto the water and began walking towards Jesus. 

There have been many times in my life when I was afraid.  There were times when it was a physical nature, such as zip lining through the forest of Costa Rica or white-water rafting.  There were other times when I was fearful for health reasons, either my own journey with cancer or when others I loved were sick.  Other times, it was when I needed to step into a new chapter of my life, either a new job or a new relationship.  Just as the disciples on the boat, I was afraid.  It is in those moments that I needed to hear Jesus say, “Don’t be afraid.”

Oh, to be a disciple in that boat and be able to hear Jesus’ words directly!  How wonderful would it be to see Him walking in the horizon when I was fearful and have him utter those words!  Although Jesus may not be physically in front of me, His words ring loud and clear in the Bible.  His words come to life as I read them, impacting me in the way Jesus’ words impacted the disciples.

Jesus’ words of comfort in not being afraid brought the disciples peace.  They also bring me peace.  When I am troubled and afraid, Jesus’ words of not being afraid brings me the peace that I need.  The peace to move forward.  The peace to step out of the boat into Jesus’ hands.  The peace that passes all understanding.

How fitting that the fourth Advent candle is one of Peace!  Reflecting over the past three Sundays of Advent, we saw the candles represented in our ability not to fear.  The first candle is one of hope – prayer providing us hope.  The second candle is one of love – God displaying His love for Mary and us.  The third candle is one of joy – the joy of all the blessings God provides.  The fourth candle of peace – the peace we are afforded when Jesus utters the words, “Do not be afraid.”  I pray this Advent season has brought you the hope, love, joy, and peace you needed.  May you all enjoy a very Merry Christmas!

Dearest Jesus, your birth and life have taught us so much on why we should not be afraid.  When our lives get the better of us, please turn us towards you, Jesus, and may we hear your words, “Don’t be afraid.”  In your love, Amen.

 

Don't Fear Blessings

 

I cannot imagine being one of the shepherds who saw the angel appear to bring the good news of Jesus’ birth.  Shepherds who were out doing their job when an angel and the angelic hosts shared the news that all would be saved.  As we have walked through the Christmas story of Luke, we once again see a time when an angel proclaims the words, “Do not be afraid.” 

We saw Zechariah’s prayers being answered so late in life when he could have been afraid of what would be ahead for Elizabeth and him.  We saw Mary receiving God’s greatest gift, wondering why she was chosen, but the angel explaining she had found favor with God.  This week, we find ourselves with the shepherds, herding sheep, and being the first to hear of the great news of Jesus’ birth.  Do not fear good news!

Have you found yourself in that situation?  The Lord blesses you with some wonderful news that you may even fear?  You receive great blessings, and you wonder, “Why me?”  Something happens that you did not expect, and you say, “This can’t be meant for me?” Have you have even used the words, “This is too good to be true!”  I know I have found myself in these situations, almost afraid that the goodness that was bestowed upon me was not meant for me.  I have questioned God about the blessings He has shared with me, afraid that they would be taken away.  Have you ever found yourself in the same situation?

When our Lord blesses our lives, we should not be afraid of the goodness He gives to us.  We should rejoice in His name the bounty that He provides.  All good things come from God.   We should not be afraid to receive God’s blessings.  He loves us and cherishes us.  He knows exactly what we need when we need it.  He provided our Lord and Savior Jesus on that night in Bethlehem – sharing with the shepherds the greatest gift of all.  That wonderful night, the angels once again brought good news that was meant to be shared throughout the land. 

When blessings come our way, we should not question them.  We should not be saying, “Why me?” or “Are you sure this wasn’t meant for someone else?”  God has given to us what we needed, and our response should not be one of fear or disbelief, but one of joy and thanksgiving.  God never comes to us in fear, He comes to us in love.

When a blessing is bestowed, think back upon the greatest blessing we have received, our Savior Jesus.  During this Advent season, let us not be afraid to pray fervently, let us not be afraid to know that God has found favor with us, and may we never be afraid of the blessings God has given to us.   May we rejoice to God and thank Him always for His gifts – especially the gift of Jesus!

Heavenly Father, may we never be afraid to accept the gifts you so graciously give to us.  Let us cherish all that you provide, giving thanks and praise!  During this Advent, may we be reminded that you never come in fear, but you come in love.  Let us bask in the sunshine of that love each day.  Amen!

Favor with God

Happy Advent!  Did you know that the phrase, “Do not be afraid” is used in the Bible 365 times?  It must be a phrase that God wants to ensure hits home – at least every day!  There are many things in this life that can scare us – snakes, dogs, spiders, the dark, etc.  There are also very personal things that can scare us – the fear of being alone, the fear of imperfection, the fear of failure, the fear of dying.  Whether the fear is an extrinsic or intrinsic fear, it is real for the person dealing with it.  It is not easy dealing with fear. 

If we put ourselves in Mary’s position, we can appreciate why she would be fearful.  To be visited by an angel and then be told you are going to be the mother of Jesus who will save the world?  That is a tall order.  My fear of going to the dentist seems trivial compared to Mary’s fear.  The words addressing Mary’s fear are, to me, some of the most powerful in the Bible, “you have found favor with God.”

Favor with God!  What does that mean?  Is Mary God’s favorite?  Is she going to receive special treatment?   What does it mean to have God’s favor?  Through some research, I have come to understand that God’s favor can mean God extending His divine kindness, understanding and grace to us who do not deserve it.  God’s choice in Mary may come from God’s desire to have Jesus’ journey begin in the humblest of ways, someone who was devout to God and knew the meaning of grace.

The question becomes, can we find favor with God?  Can we experience God’s favor?  The answer is yes!  We receive God’s goodness and grace every day.  His favor falls down on us when we believe in Him, just believe.  Earning God’s favor is impossible.  There is nothing we can do, no matter how great, where we should expect to have his kindness, understanding and grace.  In Ephesians 2:8, Paul clearly shares for us, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God.” 

God’s favor on us comes from our faith in Him!  All we can offer God is our faith and love.  Thank goodness that is all He asks of us.  In return His favor – His love, kindness, and grace – flows from Him.  I know I can use all of what God can offer in my life.  My need for forgiveness is real and His grace and mercy provides that forgiveness.  Remember, God values YOU, he favors YOU!  We are children of God!  That certainly brings joy to my heart.  I pray it does the same for you!

Heavenly Father, thank you for finding favor with me!  Your divine grace and mercy are with me each day.  My earthly works could never be enough to gain your favor, but through your grace, I am a child of God.  Thank you!  Amen. 

Don't Fear - Pray

 

Advent 2021 is here!  There is something about the Advent season that stirs my heart as we begin to prepare for the arrival of Jesus.  This morning, I spent time reviewing the themes of Advent I have written about in the past.  Over the last seven years, they have spanned everything from the gifts of Christmas to the characters of Christmas.  I struggled on what to share and decided to go to the source, the book of Luke, chapters 1 and 2, where the story of Jesus’ birth lies.  I read and re-read those chapters and realized something wonderful (don’t we always find something wonderful when we delve into this story?).

There, in the pages of my Bible, I noticed how many times an angel shared the words, “Do not be afraid.”  Three separate times with three different people in three different scenarios.  Today’s post will focus on the angel who came to Zechariah in the temple.  The angel was bringing the news that Elizabeth would bear a son.  All of this seemed unbelievable to Zechariah, as he and Elizabeth were no spring chickens.  Yet, as we know, God works in ways that man will never understand.

Zechariah was a true man of God and very obedient to God’s laws.  He prayed for a son.  In God’s Time, his son would be delivered.  How many times have you prayed the same prayer, over and over again, wanting God to deliver in YOUR time?  When that happens, we wonder where God is.  Why isn’t He answering our prayers?  We can begin to become afraid that God is not going to answer the prayers we are offering to Him.

There have been times in my life when I believed that was the case.  I was truly afraid God was not going to answer the prayers I put up to Him.  I was afraid that He was not listening to me. Yet, God delivered.  Almost always it was never in my time and many times not in the way I was praying.  He knew better.  He always knows better.  He delivered what I needed, not what I wanted.  I may have been afraid to walk in the path He provided for me, yet when I walked in that path, the outcome was always greater than my ways.

Friends, let us be reminded as Zechariah was so many years ago, that God hears our prayers.  Each and every prayer.  Let us not be afraid to walk in the answered prayers God gives to us.  Let us boldly go where God sends us.  Receive His gift of an answered prayer as a blessing.  As the angel said to Zechariah, “Do Not Be Afraid.” 

Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding us not to be afraid of answered prayers.  There are times when your time and your answers are quite different than that for which we may be praying.  Yet, we know you are the author of our lives.  You author the best story for us.  May we rest in the comfort of you all-knowing ways.  Bless us this Advent Season.  Amen!

Giving Thanks

 

It is about that time, the time when we gather to give thanks!  Over the years, especially when all the children were home, I continuously tried to find ways for us to make November a ‘month’ of Thanksgiving.  Many times, it was our chain of thanks.  Slips of paper donned each person’s plate every dinner in November.  We each wrote on that slip what we were thankful for and shared it with each other.  Then we would connect the slips of paper and the chain would begin.  You can imagine, with six of us, how the chain swerved in an out of all the areas of the kitchen and often extended into other areas of the home.  I pray that our children’s memories of that are as fond as mine!!

As I think back on those days, and other ways we tried to share thanks during November, I remember our thanks being the ‘positive’ things we were thankful for – our family members, our friends, educators, pastors, things we received, etc.  We always focused on what we had received for which we were thankful.  Today’s verse, though, reminds me of many ways we should have had this verse ‘front and center’ for our thankful sessions.

Each part of these verses brings forward the value of thanksgiving.  Please walk with me as I reflect on how Thanksgiving can be ‘improved’!

·        Rejoice Always – not just on Thanksgiving Day, not just during the month of November, but every day, throughout the year!  This can be hard to do. Our days get busy, our minds flow elsewhere, and the wonderful, gentle blessings we receive during the day get passed over as we race to the next thing to do.  Rejoicing always means that our thankful spirit is always looking for the blessings and always looking to God.  It means we need to be mindful of all that is around us and the impact and importance of it all. 

·        Pray Continually – not just in the morning or evening, not just when we need that ‘special something,’ not just at dinner time, but ALL the time.  Prayer has always been to me a conversation with God; time to share with Him all that is right and not so right in life and have Him share with me my role in it all.  Again, when the day gets busy, we may forget to spend that time with God throughout the day or focus on just when we need something.  It means never giving up on the prayers that are close to our hearts and thanking him for the blessings He gives.

·        Give Thanks in ALL Circumstances – so hard to do!  It is easy to give thanks when our prayers are answered, or the blessings are right in front of our faces.  It is so much more difficult to thank Jesus when things are hard, when jobs are lost, when finances are tough, when test results are not what we wanted to hear.  Instead of doubting where God is during those times, giving thanks during those times deepens our faith.  When we give thanks during challenging times, we are saying to God, “I trust you that all things will work out to your will – your perfect will.”  Thanks can seem a tall order, but when our faith deepens, we are lifted up.

During this Thanksgiving, may we find ways to rejoice always, pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances to the glory of God.  May our hope and love in Jesus bring us to a deeper reliance on Him.  May Thanksgiving become every day!

Heavenly Father, thank you for providing us Scripture that we can live by EVERY day.  In your name, Amen!

Exposed Sin

 

In New England, as Autumn continues, the beauty of the leaves starts to fade.  Vibrant colors of red, orange, and yellow turns to muted browns.  Not only are the colors of the leaves changing, but there are many other changes.  Frost greets us every morning, the temperatures slide down the thermometer and the winds start to kick up.  The last of what can be harvested before winter is completed.  Preparations begin for winter.

One of the most notable changes is not only the leaves colors, but the fact that they depart from the trees and begin to cover the grass.  Everyone begins the mad dash of picking up the leaves to ensure they are not on the ground before the first snow.  Once the leaves are gone, the tree is completely bare.

 

As I looked at the tree above, and noticed the beautiful leaves were gone, what was left behind also had its own beauty. The nakedness of the tree was still something to marvel.  The way the branches intertwined with each other, the sturdiness of the trunk supporting branches large and small, and the smallest of twigs in the edges that gave the leaves their beauty.

I could not help but think of our Lord.  In the depths of our sin, we are totally exposed to God, much like the bare tree without any leaves.  We cannot run or hide.  Although others may not see the sin we have, our Lord knows all of it.  The sin that intertwines with other sins, the sin that may show ‘beauty’ on the outside but is dark on the inside.  Although we may feel bare, Jesus does not see us like that.  He died on the cross to ensure our sin blows away in the wind and what is left behind is a beauty and love that only Jesus can give us.  God sees our exposed guilt and replaces it with forgiveness and love.  What solace there is in knowing Jesus takes away our sin and replaces it with eternal life!  When you look at those bare and exposed trees, remember that your exposed sin is forgiven! 

Dearest Jesus, thank you for the gift of forgiveness.  As you see all our sin and the darkness that surrounds it, we also know that you died for our sin to be blown away and replaced with love and grace.  Thank you, Jesus!!

Gift of Good

 

It was a good day.  An exceptionally good day.  Things went right.  Maybe not perfect, but things seemed to click together.  When days like that come across our path, we smile a bigger smile, we hug a little tighter, and we appreciate the day a bit more.  As I rested my head on the pillow that night, I wondered why that particular day impacted me at such an important level.  Then it became clear.

I went out of my way to help others.  I watched others helping others.  It all felt good and right.  Have you ever noticed when we go out of our way to look past ourselves and focus on others how our days are brighter?  When we spread kindness and love, our world seems to come together.  It has been hard to see that lately.  There is so much discord that it can be difficult to see the good when all we seem to hear and see is negative.  That should never stop us from being the best we can be and to help others do the same.

When I read our focus verse for this week, I tried to think of ways to ‘motivate’ another to an act of love, kindness, and goodness.  I have always been one that has believed I can create a motivating environment, but not necessarily motivate someone directly.  In my heart what that means is I can assist in creating an environment where people want to do good things and be better people.  I can assist in creating an environment where people feel love and give love.  How can I do that?

By modeling the behaviors that I want to see in others.  If I want to see more goodness in the world, then I should model goodness.  If I want to see more kindness, then I should be kind.  If I want to see more love, then I should be extending love.  Isn’t that what Jesus did when He came to earth?  From the very beginning, he brought goodness, kindness, and love into this world.  He made people around Him better people because of who He was.  He helped the disciples to share God’s love with others because He loved others.  He modeled a sinless life so we could aspire to lead a better life.  No, we will not be sinless, but we can aspire to be better people.

If we want to see acts of love and kindness in others, we need to show those acts first.  Do not wait for someone else to be nice to you, smile first.  Do not wait for others to say hi to you, say hi first.  Reach out a hand to others – they will reach back to you.  It will be a good day, a particularly good day, when all things feel right if we step out in love, kindness, and simple faith first.  When those days happen, you will feel Jesus’ love in your soul.  There is no better feeling than that!  Praise Jesus for the ability to act in love and kindness.  Thank Him for filling your soul.  Love others as He has loved you. 

Dearest Jesus, thank you for modeling the behavior I should have every day.  Let me see opportunities to share love and kindness in a broken world.  Let me reach past myself to others and have them see your love and grace.  Let me shine your light!  Amen!