Fear Not, For I AM with You

Once again, I begin this post with my childhood story. I really love swimming. Every day I always spent about 30 minutes to take swim before I go to the office. I was remembering when I was a kid for the first time my daddy taught me to swim. At that time I felt very scared when my daddy carrying me to the pool. “Daddy..! I am scared!” shouted me. But with his gentle smile he said patiently, “My dear little princess, please do not fear. I am with you and will hold you tight. I will not let you drowned. Just trust me, ok. Everything will be fine.” My daddy’s eye gaze and loving smile finally make me trust him. Though I am still afraid but I trust that my daddy will keep me safe.

 
My dear readers, this is about fear. In human life fear is not become a new thing. Fear always be there in every side of our life. Starting from the fear of darkness and other forms of phobias such as heights, enclosed spaces, fear as haunted by the past, even fear facing the future. In the one side, fear could give the positive impact to remind us to not be careless and cautious in making decisions or doing something. But in the other side, if the level of our fear too excessive, it can turn off our spirit and brings us to other losses. Not only makes us cannot grow and evolve, but it can also bring other problems such as health problems, unstable emotion and so on. Even worse, for us a Christians, fears also potentially make us no longer able to hear God’s voice or feel His presence. As we talk with someone, the more we move away from that person, the more difficult we hear his voice. It will be going like that if fear allowed undermining our feelings and minds. Satan will use our fear as a powerful weapon to destroy us. Fear will be widen the distance between us and God and ironically we begin to think that God leaves us alone and even more we dare to accuse God is not loves us.

 
Now, I would like to take you to look at the one bible story. We take a look when Jesus was in the boat with His disciples in the storm. The Bible wrote that after Jesus was in the boat He slept in the stern. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake and makes the disciples panic and fear. (Matthew 8:24) Then the disciples went to woke Him and said, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” (Matthew 8:25) What was Jesus’ reaction at that time? When Jesus woke up, he did not say, “Sorry I fall asleep” or “Sorry, I am careless” but please pay attention what Jesus said, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” (Matthew 8:26) Then Jesus got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. What is the point of this story? The point is faith and trust! This event occurred after Jesus fed 5000 people. The disciples supposed do not need to be afraid because they already knew that Jesus be able to make a miracle. If Jesus can fed 5000 people by only 5 loaves and 2 fishes, He also can be able to overcome the storm. If only the disciples have a strong faith and fully trust to Jesus, they will not be shackled by fear.

 
The disciples’ attitude was also a picture of our attitudes in our lives. Our heart and mind more dominated and controlled by fear so our faith and trust to God getting waver. We forgot that we have God almighty who always be with us and can do anything to help us. At the time, the disciples should not have to be afraid because they are with Jesus the Lord that always preserves them. That’s why Jesus rebuked the disciples because they have so little faith and trust to Him. This is also a rebuke to all of us that we must have faith and trust which greater than our fear.

 
Let’s take a look to another story when the disciples saw Jesus walks on the water. They were frightened and thought Jesus was a ghost. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. don’t be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27) Then Peter said, “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” (Matthew 14:28) Jesus said, “Come” (Matthew 14:29). What happens next? Peter was successfully walked on the water. But, when the wind hit him, he was feared and begins to sink. What makes Peter failed to walk on water? Once again, beside he doubts, Peter was afraid! But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:30) And for the umpteenth time Jesus rebuked, “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31) Jesus’ rebuke is also addressed to us today. Fear can make us fail to achieve success. Even when the level of our fear is greater than our faith it can obstruct our progress and even our dreams. We could not move on and trapped in the grip of fear.

 
From the two stories above, there is a causal relationship between being afraid and trust. When we talk about trust, we talk about faith. The lack of trust and fait will cause fear in our life. Because of fear, there is no more joy, victory, and peace. My dear lovely friends, what about us now? How big the fear haunts our life? How deep we trust in God? Fear will never disappear from our lives. But if we believe and surrender our lives wholly into the God’s hand that created everything perfectly, why we should be afraid? If God is powerful than anything else promised to continue to accompany, encourage, help and hold us to achieve victory, why should we falter and allow ourselves to continue gripped by fear? I ask you to remember one of God’s promises,

 

 

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. (Isaiah 41:10)

If we ponder this verse wholeheartedly then we will realize a wonderful promise as an answer of what we face today. If I completely trust to my father who really loves me will keep me safe and not let me drown when taught me to swim, much less to Heavenly Father who created me. I strongly believe that our Heavenly Father really loves us and will keep us safe too in facing any problem and difficulties in life without fear. There is no father who would harm his beloved child. So it is with our Heavenly Father. When God said to us, “Come” We should to be confident and brave to walk and our eyes keep focus only to God. We should totally trust that He will always be with us, and even if during we walk our lives buffeted by the severe storm, He will not let us fall. As was written in Psalm,

 

The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand. (Psalm 37:23-24)

My lovely friends, I don’t know what kind of fear you face now, but allow me to encourage you, immediately tried to get out and rid out from the shadows of fear. How? Continuously grow and strengthen our faith and trust in God. Keep walk with God and submit all of our worries to Him, wholly trust in His mightiness. Maintain our intimacy with Him through prayer and ponder God’s word day by day. Always embed “Fear not, for I am with you” in the deepest of our heart and mind, make it as our guidance. Always Living in God’s love and feel His perfect love in every step of our life, for there is no fear in love. Amen.

 

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1John 4:18)

Further reading:  http://dbethandrews.wordpress.com/2014/06/02/in-my-prison-of-fear/

 

Karina – Living by Faith
Photo credit: Backhuysen, Rudolf, commons. Wikimedia.org

Someone Behind

Few days ago my husband and I watched again a Christian music concert which was held by Rose of Sharon Church in which one of the singers is my blog friend, Sella Irene. I was really impressed, amazed, and so blessed by their performances. They have a very beautiful voice and incredible musicians as well. I said to my husband, “They are all really impressive!” My Husband replied, “Yes, they are! But please do not forget to those people who are behind them on the stage. I think they also have a very important role in that concert. They have an amazing stage director, very skilled sound engineer, and there are many more people who are very supportive of their performances. Without them all, I guess they could not perform very well. My husband’s answer makes me thinking. Yes, I forget that there are a lot of people behind them who very influential for the success of their performances. In reality, they often miss from our attention. We more focused to those people on the stage.
I remembered one of Jesus’ disciples. Andrew. Andrew was the first Jesus’ disciple. Although he was one of the disciples of the Lord Jesus, but his name is not as famous as Peter, James, Paul, or John, who were said to be the people who are in the inner circle of Jesus’ closest disciples. If I liken Paul, John, and Simon Peter is the main actor in a movie, then Andrew is like a supporting actor which not too stands out and not gives a big impact. However, it does not mean Andrew is not important. Many things have been done that we do not realize because he was a lot of work behind the screens. Let’s dig up what the important things that he did.

 

The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter). (John 1: 41-42)

 
Let’s pay attention to the word “And he brought him to Jesus.” It was Andrew’s first response when he met Jesus. Andrew was the first person who tells to Peter. At that time, without Andrew’s presence, Simon probably would not meet Jesus. Without the role of Andrew, Probably there is no Simon’s name in the list of disciples of Jesus. We all know that the later Simon Peter became a great apostle. But the important thing is, it all would not have happened if Andrew not brought Peter to Jesus. The interesting thing is, even though he is not as famous as his brother, he did not even include three closest disciples of Jesus, Andrew really did not concerned it at all. With joy and humbly he continued his task.
Another important thing that Andrew did is, when Jesus fed 5000 people. At that time Jesus gave preaching to the thousands people. Then Jesus said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”(John 6:5) then “Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little” (John 6:7). Let’s see Andrew’s reaction at that time.

Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” (John 6:8-9)

See? Once again Andrew bring someone came to Jesus. I am sure, at that time Andrew also knows that the food brought by the boy would not be enough to feed about 5000 people. But he still brought that child to Jesus. What happens next? Through the child, a miracle happens. Jesus fed 5000 people only from five loaves and two fishes. This story shows that Andrew is a very caring person. He brought the children to Jesus to be used in the service of the Lord Jesus and the food problem finished. That is Andrew. An apostle was not famous who work behind the screens. Almost never come forth like Paul, John or his brother Simon Peter. But in fact he is a caring person who brought many people to God.

 
There was a Sunday school teacher named Edward Kimball. Who is he? He is just an ordinary Sunday school teacher. But through Edward there was a boy who believed and accepted God as his savior and later on this boy became a very famous and great preacher and evangelist. The boy is. Dwight L.Moody. Through his ministry Moody can make a lot of people in England and America repented. And through Moody’s sermon, a young pastor named Frederic Brotherton Meyer changing his ministry and decided to become an evangelist like Moody. “If you are not willing to give up everything for Christ, are you willing to be made willing?” This was what Meyer said in his preaching, and these words make J. Wilbur Chapman responded God’s call in his life. Later on Chapman become one of the most effective evangelists. Billy Sunday a baseball player, a volunteer in Chapman Ministry eventually took over Chapman’s ministry and become one of the most dynamic evangelists of this century. Billy Sunday’s preaching brought thousands to Christ. Then this evangelism chain finally up on the great name: Billy Graham. Through Billy Graham million people in the world repented and accept God as their savior. If we look carefully to this chronology, it all begins from someone named Edward Kimball. An ordinary Sunday school teacher but through him many people brought to God and make many great names in the evangelism world.

 
My dear friends, what about us in our daily lives? Wherever we are, in the office, church or else, whether we also pay attention to those people who work behind the screens? Are we appreciate and honor them same as those who always come forth on “the stage”? Through this post I would like to ask you to change our mindset to not always focus on who we see on “the stage” Lets always remember that behind their successful there are so many people behind them. If we look and hear a touching and powerful preaching in the church, do not just look to the pastor but please remember that there are people behind them. It may be husband/wife and their children who always give a big support to their ministry. Their roles are really important as well. Let’s always remember that God can use anyone for His Kingdom works even they are not always come forth and unknown to many people. Do not belittle to those people who work behind the screens because sometimes actually we have to learn a lot from them. They are the God’s invisible tools, but so worthwhile. Do not underestimate to those people who work around us which is seem trivial.
And otherwise, for us who always work behind the screens wherever we are, we might not do many great things, and maybe people do not see our work at all, maybe even people underestimate our work, this time I encourage to not be desperate and discouraged. We could learn from Andrew story. We May not do something great but please believe, what we are doing it may be the beginning of great things that will be happen later. I encourage you to always believe and trust that God can use any little thing to declare His power and glory. Probably Simon Peter will not be a great apostle without Andrew. We may not know D.L. Moody without Edward Kimball’s role. Whatever we do, do it with wholeheartedly, faithful, full of diligence, and is only intended for the glory of God. Amen.

 

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, (Colossians 3:23)

Karina-Living by Faith
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