Fear Not

  

  Some years ago there was a counselor on the first night of church camp who was about to shut off the lights to the boy's cabin. However as the camp counselor went to shut off the light one of boy's screamed out "NO, DON'T TURN OFF THE LIGHT!!" 

    The counselor was startled and asked the boy if he was scared of the dark. The young camper said, "No." "Well why don't you want the lights turned off them" the counselor asked. The boy replied "I don't want to the killer rabbits to kill me" When the boy said that there were several boys in the cabin that started snickering, because it turned out that the other boys had tried to scare this boy and told him that at night there are killer bunny's that come into the cabin when the lights are turned off. 

    That boy was scared, but being fearful is not just for children. There are a lot of people today that live in fear. There are moments in our lives when we can become worried and fear full over various things. Perhaps your "Killer Rabbit" is a decision you don't want to make, or a problem you don't know how to solve. It might be a situation you don't know how to get out of.  The thing you fear may be something to do with your health, financial situations, or your family. 

    Lets face it in life there are many killer rabbits that we face throughout our life.  You probably can think of times when you were fearful or worried and there will be moments when fear will grip us once more. You know like I do that sometimes these "killer rabbits" are just that, imaginative. Many of the things that we worry about and are fearful of never materialize. Some of the biggest "killer rabbits" are the "What if's" in life. "What if I can't pay my bill this month?" "What if the economy tanks?" "What if I don't get well?" "What if I lose my best friend?" The list could go on and on but you get the picture. Many times we are fearful and worried over nothing! 

    Now we see in the gospels that Jesus was constantly reassuring the disciples to "Fear Not" Through out the bible you will find several passages that tell us to "Fear Not". It has even been said that the phrase "Fear Not" is used in the bible a total of 365 times. That is one phrase for every day of the year. Now I don't really know if that is actually true or not, but I do know that the bible has a lot to say about Fear. 

    Out of all the references and phrases in the bible that talk about not living in fear. I want to focus on just one of those passages for you. 

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear when the earth changes, and when mountains are slipping into the heart of the seas.- (Psa 46:1-2)

    It is in this passage that the psalmist gives us a key to help you and I when fear begins to take over. He points to a help that is present no matter what changes have occurred. A help despite how dreadful the world looks. A source of strength when everything around you looks bleak. No matter how cataclysmic the events surrounding you are, the psalmist tells us that we should seek the Lord in such times. 

    The psalmist knows that God is a refuge for the storms that we face in life. He knows that in the midst of trouble, what ever that trouble might be God is a present help. He knows that in the times of our lives when we feel weak and unable to go on, we can rely on God to be our strength.  It is the presence of God that gives this psalmist the reason not to live in fear. He does not have to live in fear even if the earth changes or the mountains are slipping away into the sea. 

    I believe that is something that we would do well to remember as well. That when fear begins to place its icy hands on our hearts. When worry begins to rob us of both our sleep and our peace. We need to remember to call upon God. We need to run to the presence of God and seek His shelter and strength. We would do well to remember to call out to him in our moments of distress. 

    So watch out for "Killer Rabbits" They can destroy your peace of mind at camp and throughout your life.