Are You Scared?
I was twelve years old, and it was the opening day of deer season. It was still dark. The sun would not even think about rising for another thirty minutes. Daddy shined his flashlight on the boards nailed into the tree as I climbed up to the deer-stand. He watched as I got settled in, then handed me my new Winchester 30-30. Before he walked to his stand, he asked me, are you scared? I said, no, I’m alright. But I lied.
It was dark. My daddy was about to leave me sitting on a board in a tree. I was scared. But I wasn’t going to tell Daddy. Even though I was scared, I knew that I was going to be alright. I trusted my daddy. I knew that he would not be far away. He would not leave me in danger. So even when I was just twelve, I knew you could be scared and still be alright.
I have not counted them all for myself. However, I have read that throughout the Bible, we are told, “Do not be afraid or fear not,” 365 times. That is one fear not for every day of the year.
I do know that throughout the Bible, almost every time angels appear, the first thing they say is, “Do not be afraid.” Having thought about this a lot, I have come to believe that God is not telling us that fear is sinful, nor is it a bad thing.
Fear is an emotion that teaches us to be careful and seek safety. We learn in Psalm 34:4 that if we seek the Lord, He will answer us and deliver us from all our fears. For this reason, if you are in Christ, you know that you are going to be alright.
Are You Scared?
Even now, I am often scared. But when I am afraid, I trust in God. Because just like my daddy would never leave me in danger, God will never leave His children in danger, and He will never be far away. When He says fear not, He is saying, “I know you are scared, but trust Me, and I promise you, you are going to be alright.
“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.
They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.
Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.”
Psalms 34:1-22 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/psa.34.1-22.NKJV
Douglas & Deborah Huff
From Down Where the Pavement Ends
Email- pavementendsministry@gmail.com
