When Shadows Fall

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by fear, worry, or doubt?  There seems to be so much of it to go around.  Doubt about the worth of what you are doing, worry about circumstances, fear about the future.  The reasons to fear are almost endless.  Turn on the news, or flick through your facebook feed, listen to your friends, and you will hear so many words that inspire fear: terrorism, ebola, child trafficking, cancer, war, heart disease, drug resistant infections, road rage, refugees, school shootings, nuclear disasters, pollution, discrimination, politics.  There are so many things to fear.  Our connected world with social media, internet, TV news, and radio makes it seem impossible to escape from the mounting reasons to be afraid. 

I think that must be why the Bible addresses fear so many times.  Estimates for how many times God says, “Do not be afraid” or “Fear Not” or “Don’t worry” or something similar rank anywhere from 80-300+ times.  It is one of the most directly addressed issues in the Bible.  Looking back into history, whether current, recent, or distant gives us an easy answer to why.  Human history is just packed full of tragedies that span every realm of our experience: disease epidemics, wars, natural disasters, personal tragedies, economic failures.  No wonder we are afraid, history so often repeats itself in one form or another and often that isn’t good. 

This month we visited the beautiful city of Vienna, Austria.  It is truly lovely with palaces, museums, gardens, opera houses.  Fantastically preserved history that is easy to enjoy.  As we rode around the city on a bus, we learned plenty of interesting historical tidbits.  It was home to amazing composers like Mozart and Strauss who composed some of the worlds most famous and timeless music.  The one that surprised me the most was that Hitler, Trotsky, Stalin, and Freud all lived in Vienna at the same time as young men in the early 1900’s.  It’s not clear that they knew each other, but as young impressionable 20 somethings they all lived and worked in this city at the same time, preparing for futures that would change the world for all of us.  The terrible things that followed in world history we all know too well. 

Later that day at Robbie’s request we “hopped off” at the war museum where to Robbie’s delight we explored a museum full of weapons and armour from every period of Austrian history, beginning with ancient suits of armour, and ending with WWII pieces and displays.  Like a typical boy, he was fascinated by the airplanes, cannons, suits of armour, ships, tanks, and swords.  As a mother, I found it to be more than my heart could bear.  As we walked through, any interest I had faded steadily into a dark sense of horror and sadness as I saw display after display that marked the battles and the wars across European history.  All the many ways that we have developed to kill each other lined the walls.  While I certainly understand the historical significance of the wars, and have nothing but respect for the brave men who have given their lives to protect their homes and families and their freedom, it still was hard to see.  All I could imagine was the many sons and fathers who never came home.  An overwhelming sense of fear enveloped me and I excused myself from the building to sit outside in the sun with Oliver.  All I could think, was what if someday it is my sons who have to fight, what if they have to go to war?  The idea of my sweet boys experiencing the agony of that was more than my heart could handle. 

Fear for yourself is one thing, and then fear for your children is an entirely different burden.  As mother it is difficult not to be overwhelmed with the idea of keeping your children safe.  It’s overwhelming because we can’t.  No matter how many precautions we take and best efforts we put in, we ultimately can’t protect them.  We live in a fallen world full of disease, accidents, and sinfulful selfish people.  We do our best, but we can never entirely shield our children from what the world will throw at them. 

There is so much to fear…….unless…….unless you are a child of THE KING.  Not a king as we know them, but a the King of everything, the Ruler of Time and Space, the Creator.  Sitting in the sunlight on the museum steps as Oliver ran up and down the handicap ramp, I was able to breath deep of the clean Austrian air, and pray.  And so as I sat outside I had to pray that God would bring my mind back to truth, back to what I know of my God, and in doing so to calm my fears and remind of truth.  If you know the one who holds the future in His hands, who has already written the story of your life from beginning to end, and beyond all of that who loves you deeply, then there is no need to fear.  And so I recite His promises to myself as a child recites the words of their parents, and it calms me and fills me with peace, and restores my soul.  This list below is just a tiny fraction of the verses I could have chosen.  The list is long.  How well God knows us.  He knows we will have to fight the fear that this world throws at us from every angle.  And He offers us so many reminders to pull our gaze up, out of the muck, and onto Him, our hope, our joy, our peace. 

“The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God in whom I trust.” 

“The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?”

“God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and love and a sound mind” II Timothy 1:7

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives do I give you.  Let not your hearts be troubles, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  Isaiah 41:10

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil , for you are with me, your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4 

This world really is the valley of the shadow of death.  Everyone here is dying, some of us sooner than others, and none of us know the day or the hour.  Between here and there we will find many joys and many deep sorrows as well.  But for the one who knows Jesus, the end of the story holds no fear.  The end is eternity with our creator.  So no matter what these middle chapters hold, and even if what they hold is dark, the story “ends” in endless light.  That is nothing to fear.  What a treasure to be able to know our God.  What a prize to be offered eternity with Him.  What a gift to be able to point my children to.  Thank you Jesus.