And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham; do not fear, for I am with you. . . .” (Genesis 26: 24a).
Our Heavenly Parent, please teach us how to live by faith, in Your Presence, and not in fear. This I ask in the holy name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.
No sooner had I crossed the street to go for my morning walk that I felt a sudden pang of fear. The feeling was so real and jolting that I was on the verge of going back up the stairs and into the safety of my apartment. Then came the question: Under whose impulse am I reacting? If fear does not come from God, who am I reacting to? Thank God for the “still small voice” behind us. Today it said:
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1: 7). Immediately I began to reason: “I have never gone on a walk alone. My Savior has always walked with me. Isn’t He the One I talk to as I walk, asking for His protection, and guidance along the way and throughout my day? Then God is real. And since He is – why am I afraid?”
I had to answer those questions in a thoughtful and conscious manner. I couldn’t just sweep away my fear and act as if it never happened. I would either trust God always or not at all. I decided to continue walking. And as I walked I realized that serving God is a decision we make at every step of the Christian way. At any time we can find ourselves in a place of uncertainty; not sure of what we believe, or who, we believe.
Will issues like fear or doubt cause us to lose our hold on God and turn back? Or, are we prepared to challenge our faith by thinking through daily, why we are doing what we do, before continuing on our Christian journey? There is the danger that we could begin to serve God like robots. Could it be that in order for our faith to be healthy and vibrant, there is a need for it to be tested and challenged, from time to time?
Our text for today is taken from an experience in the life of Isaac, Abraham and Sarah’s son. His herdsmen and the herdsmen of Gerar were quarreling over the wells that he was digging. Even though they had just ended the dispute when he dug the third well, and he had moved on to Beersheba, God saw it necessary to reassure him that there was no need for him to be afraid, for the God of his father Abraham, Who was also his God, was with him.
I have found in my experience that it has been in the moments of confusion, when my faith is being shaken, and fear steps in, that it is the certainty of His Presence which assures me that there is no need to fear.