Presence Vs. the Power of Fear

Last year we flew in a six-seater, twin-engine plane. Sue aptly described the aircraft as, “an old Volkswagen Beetle with wings.” The pilot climbed into the cockpit, flipped a few switches and pressed a button. The image of the 1960s Bug became more vivid. The engine chugged, “Errerrerrerr … ughumph.” Five times the pilot tried unsuccessfully to bring the beast to life. Finally, it coughed its way into a full-throated roar and he began to taxy down the runway. The reluctance of the engine worried me; the fact that the pilot was willing to trust his life to the craft, gave me peace.
 
Jumping off a perfectly good mountain above Medellin, Colombia was a similar experience. The sign at the entrance notified the daring that their flight would not exceed 9000 feet (2750 meters). The attendant strapped a helmet on my head and I thought, “In what circumstance would this do me any good?”  They unrolled the Paraglider to which I was about to entrust my life and I noted the spindly, webish character of the supporting lines. The harness that enveloped me looked rather tired and over-experienced. I would have never entrusted myself to such a contraption … except … there was someone who was willing to strap himself in with me and trust it with his own life. Sometimes the right presence can trump the power of fear.
 
The past two weeks in Bible Study, we talked about the two greatest fears most people face; the fear of want and the fear of man. In Matthew 6 and 10, Jesus says that God’s promised presence in our lives should trump those fears. Fear of going without, often disguises itself as a love for stuff. Concerning the basics of life, Jesus said, “the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” Hebrews 13:5-6 is another portion of God’s Word that captures this common human struggle:
 
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
 

 



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