WHEN I AM AFRAID

 

Wednesday, August 10, 2022

 

WHEN I AM AFRAID

 

Ps 56:1-3

56 Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me.

2 Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High.

3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

 

Rev 21:8

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. 

 

          Wow! The psalm encourages us with an alternative to fear, but the Revelation condemns us for being afraid … or so it seems. It seems rather cruel to condemn the fearful simply for being afraid but consider the following scenes from the Bible.

 

          Gideon was told to dismiss all his soldiers that were afraid and did not want to fight (Judges 7:3). Ultimately, he took three hundred of those who lapped water from their hand while on guard (verse 5).

 

          David had carried some cheese to his brothers on the battlefield, but he found no battle raging. He scolded the king and all his army for their cowardice (1 Samuel 7:29). David then challenged a giant and killed him.

 

          “Fear not” is found 63 times in the Bible as a form of encouragement but we are puzzled at the condemnation in Revelation 21:8 until we search and discover that the word is from the Greek deilos and means “faithless.” Obviously, this is not to be understood as referring to the timid but to those who did not exercise saving faith.

 

Heb 11:6

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

 

          Fear must be stubbornly dragged to the conflict by faith!

 

Dear Lord, what time I am afraid, help me to trust in you. AMEN