Preacher, inked.
  • Read
  • Contact
  • Read
  • Contact

Fearless

2/28/2019

0 Comments

 
Once upon a time I was fearless.

At least that’s how I felt. Let me rephrase that. I wasn’t fearless; I just learned how to operate while afraid. For those who have never lived life as a first responder of some sort, you may never understand the fear that those who rush into danger feel. Most people run from the sound of gunfire or the inferno of an engulfed house. Most people want nothing to do with jumping out of a perfectly good airplane into a barren wasteland of mountains or deserts where there are thousands of people who want to kill you.

But soldiers, firefighters, cops and first responders run toward that sort of danger; they run into the gunfight, they charge into a house on fire, they jump into a combat zone on purpose. They don’t do it because they’re not afraid. In fact, I used to say to rookies that I trained that if you’re not afraid, then you’re dangerous and I don’t want to work with you.

Make no mistake. They are afraid. But what sets us/them apart is that they have learned how to harness that fear and operate in spite of it. In fact, if trained properly, fear can be very powerful.
That was me.
Then.

Now, I feel afraid all the time. I fear things that I don’t even know how to define. I don’t even have categories for my fears now. So much pain over the last three years, so much disappointment, so much betrayal and abandonment have left me, on good days, with a mild feeling of unease. On bad days, I feel like I can’t even move well or think straight.

Fear of more pain, more “failures” have, at times, even made me afraid to dream.

I’m reading through the gospel of St. Matthew right now. The other day I read this story:
“After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matt. 14:31, NASB)

I’m struck by some things, a lot of things, in this text. Maybe it will speak to your fear as it has to mine. Let me start with this.
It took great courage for Peter to do what he did. Would you have done that?! Not me. I’d have stayed my pasty white tail in the boat and been like, “Nope, you come here. I ain’t going out there.” But let’s think about this for a second. Was it really safer for Peter where Jesus was not? I think Peter was the smartest guy in the bunch. He recognized that the safest place to be was where Jesus was. Sure he took his eyes off Jesus and doubted.

But so have you. And so have I.

But Peter knew something about Jesus that maybe we need to see in our fear. Even in the terrifying moments of our deepest fears and insecurities, the safest place we can be is where Jesus is. Who else commands the waves and seas? Who else walks on the water that he created so many thousands of years before? Who else can do what Jesus does, has done and is doing?

No one! The point of this story isn’t Peter or the “storms of your life” or whatever or even my fear. The point of this story and my story and your story is Jesus.

He is God-in-the-flesh.
He is the living Word of God.
He is the One by whom all things were created and for whom all things were created.
He is the One who went to the cursed tree of Calvary to set you free.

Not free from fear or sickness or problems on this earth. He has set you free from the power of sin and death!! Oh, dear friend, this is our antidote for fear! Jesus has come! Repent and believe on Him and you will be saved! I need to be reminded of this daily.

Jesus has overcome sin and death! In him, you don’t have to fear death, I don’t have to fear failure or weakness or uncertainty. He has overcome!
Hear the words of our Saviour.
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
​

Fear not. He is with you, as He is with me. Now go…and be fearless!
 
Soli Deo Gloria!
 
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016

    Categories

    All
    5 Solas
    Advent
    Anglican
    Ash Wednesday
    Authority
    Baptism
    Beard Balm
    Beard Care
    Beard Oil
    Beards
    Beauty
    Brotherhood
    Catholic
    Christmas
    Church Fathers
    Church Planting
    Comfort
    Community
    Confession
    Courage
    Covenant Theology
    Credobaptism
    CrossFit
    Depression
    Despair
    Discipleship
    Election
    Eucharist
    Faith
    Fear
    Fitness
    Forgiveness
    Freedom
    Free Speech
    Good Friday
    Grace
    Hope
    Humility
    Idolatry
    Jesus
    Joy
    Justice
    Latin Mass
    Law Enforcement
    Lent
    Life
    Love
    Marian Dogma
    Mary
    Mass
    Mercy
    Monks
    Obedience
    Paedobaptism
    Pain
    Presbyterian
    Pride
    Real Presence
    Redemption
    Rest
    Resurrection
    Roman Catholic
    Salvation
    Service
    Sola Scriptura
    St. Meinrad
    Story
    Submission
    Tactical
    Tactics
    Tattoos
    The Bible
    The Blessed Virgin
    The Body Of Christ
    The Church
    The Gospel
    Theology
    The Pope
    The Reformation
    Tolkien
    Tradition
    Worship

    Picture
    Book I wrote.
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.