FEAR

YESTERDAY, OUR YOUNGEST SON, JAY, AND FAMILY CALLED FROM ALASKA ON SKYPE. WITH THEIR VIDEO CAM THEY SHOWED AN OWL STANDING ON THEIR WINDOW SILL OCCASIONALLY LOOKING INTO THEIR HOUSE BUT MOSTLY LOOKING DOWN OUTDOORS. IT WAS STILL DARK THERE. THE FAMILY FIGURED OUT WHY THE OWL KEPT LOOKING DOWN. A MOUSE WOULD POKE HIS HEAD OUT OF ITS HOLE UNDER THE DOG HOUSE AND SCURRY BACK BEFORE THE OWL COULD SWOOP DOWN AND CATCH IT. FEAR.
AT THE SAME TIME I WAS WATCHING THE BIRD FEEDER OUTSIDE MY WINDOW. IT WAS CROWDED WITH LITTLE BIRDS. THEY WERE HUNGRY AS WE HAVE ABOUT 9 INCHES OF SNOW COVERING EVERYTHING AND IT IS 20 DEGREES. SUDDENLY A LARGE STELLAR JAY SWOOPED IN TO EAT. ALL THE LITTLE BIRDS WERE FRIGHTENED AWAY. FEAR. I COULD NOT HELP BUT THINK, "ANIMALS LIVE IN CONSTANT FEAR."

WHAT ABOUT US?
DO WE LIVE IN FEAR? FEAR OF WHAT?

WE WONDER WHAT THE FUTURE WILL BRING.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER RETIREMENT?
WILL OUR HEALTH CONTINUE TO BE GOOD?
SOME HAVE FEARS ABOUT THEIR ETERNAL DESTINY.

THE BIBLE SAYS THAT "PERFECT LOVE CASTS OUT FEAR."
I CANNOT HELP BUT THINK OF THE BIBLE VERSE IN II TIMOTHY 1:12 THAT SAYS,"I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED, AND AM CONVINCED THAT HE IS ABLE TO GUARD WHAT I HAVE ENTRUSTED TO HIM FOR THAT DAY." WHATEVER THAT DAY MIGHT BE.

AGAIN, THE PASSAGE IN PHILIPPIANS 4:7 TELLS ME THAT AS I REJOICE AND TRUST IN THE LORD, "THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH TRANSCENDS ALL UNDERSTANDING, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS."

SO...FEAR IS REAL...EVEN FOR HUMANS.

BUT FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS OVERCOMES FEAR! WE CAN COMMIT OURSELVES TO HIM...AND HAVE PEACE.

REAL PEACE ON HEART!!!!