Aug. 29, 2012: Hurricane Isaac in Louisiana
Be not afraid
Throughout the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, human fear reappears time and again at crucial junctures, and each time God responds to his people in the same way. When Jesus called his first twelve disciples, Peter was overwhelmed with a sense of his own sinfulness, “Lord, depart from me for I am a sinful man.” The Lord responded, “Peter, do not be afraid” (Luke 5:10). During his final discourse to these same twelve disciples, they were understandably filled with anxiety, to which the Lord responded, “do not be afraid” (John 14:27). The women were the first witnesses of the resurrection, and commissioned to go tell the men who were in hiding, but, as one might expect of reasonable people, they were filled with fear at the unfolding events. To them the risen Christ said twice, “do not be afraid” (Matthew 28:5, 10). Finally, there is the invincible Paul. But for him too the journey with Jesus was sometimes filled with “conflicts without, fears within” (2 Corinthians 7:4–6). At Corinth God spoke to him clearly, “do not be afraid” (Acts 18:9), emboldening Paul to minister there for eighteen months despite fierce opposition. Sailing to Rome for his trial before Caesar, his ship encountered a hurricane, and again God told him, “Paul, do not be afraid” (Acts 27:24).
Sometimes the journey with Jesus is itself a cause for fear. Having put our hand to the plow, life as we know it can never be the same and turning back is hardly an option. When the disciples found themselves caught in a storm, they were afraid; but when Jesus calmed the storm, “they were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and waves obey him!’“ (Mark 4:35–41). The latter fear was worse than the former. Similarly, when Jesus healed the demon-possessed man, people from both the town and country went out to see what had happened. Finding the man healed, “they were afraid.” When they heard how the man had been healed, “they were overcome with fear” and asked Jesus to leave (Luke 8:26–39).
Henri Nouwen liked to define discipleship and maturity as allowing God to take us to places where we would prefer not to go (see John 21:18 and Jesus' words to Peter). That is an understandable cause for anxiety and apprehension. But with Mary, Joseph, Zechariah, the shepherds, and many other characters in the Christmas story, may God help us always to hear His sure and certain voice, “don't be afraid, I bring you good tidings of great joy,” and to move forward in faith.
-Reflections By Dan Clendenin
http://www.stanford.edu/group/ivfaculty/Essays/20011224JJ.shtml
Throughout the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, human fear reappears time and again at crucial junctures, and each time God responds to his people in the same way. When Jesus called his first twelve disciples, Peter was overwhelmed with a sense of his own sinfulness, “Lord, depart from me for I am a sinful man.” The Lord responded, “Peter, do not be afraid” (Luke 5:10). During his final discourse to these same twelve disciples, they were understandably filled with anxiety, to which the Lord responded, “do not be afraid” (John 14:27). The women were the first witnesses of the resurrection, and commissioned to go tell the men who were in hiding, but, as one might expect of reasonable people, they were filled with fear at the unfolding events. To them the risen Christ said twice, “do not be afraid” (Matthew 28:5, 10). Finally, there is the invincible Paul. But for him too the journey with Jesus was sometimes filled with “conflicts without, fears within” (2 Corinthians 7:4–6). At Corinth God spoke to him clearly, “do not be afraid” (Acts 18:9), emboldening Paul to minister there for eighteen months despite fierce opposition. Sailing to Rome for his trial before Caesar, his ship encountered a hurricane, and again God told him, “Paul, do not be afraid” (Acts 27:24).
Sometimes the journey with Jesus is itself a cause for fear. Having put our hand to the plow, life as we know it can never be the same and turning back is hardly an option. When the disciples found themselves caught in a storm, they were afraid; but when Jesus calmed the storm, “they were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and waves obey him!’“ (Mark 4:35–41). The latter fear was worse than the former. Similarly, when Jesus healed the demon-possessed man, people from both the town and country went out to see what had happened. Finding the man healed, “they were afraid.” When they heard how the man had been healed, “they were overcome with fear” and asked Jesus to leave (Luke 8:26–39).
Henri Nouwen liked to define discipleship and maturity as allowing God to take us to places where we would prefer not to go (see John 21:18 and Jesus' words to Peter). That is an understandable cause for anxiety and apprehension. But with Mary, Joseph, Zechariah, the shepherds, and many other characters in the Christmas story, may God help us always to hear His sure and certain voice, “don't be afraid, I bring you good tidings of great joy,” and to move forward in faith.
-Reflections By Dan Clendenin
http://www.stanford.edu/group/ivfaculty/Essays/20011224JJ.shtml
