A Faith Story

The Bible tells us many, many times to not fear.  And yet we live in a world that sets up situations that are full of fear.  Natural disasters, wrecks on the highways, illnesses without cures, children that stray, spouses that leave, and more leave us sitting up awake at night full of fear about our future, our family, and our kids – and it’s sometimes crippling and leaves us in a puddle of tears and despair.

So let’s look at the verses that tell us not to fear and see the stories and situations that surround the directive.

Genesis 22 recounts the story of Abraham being asked to sacrifice his son:

But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

This story includes a call from God, an answer from man, and then obedience to the call.  The fear of losing his son could have caused Abraham to disobey the call from God.  But instead, he laid his son down, and the Lord intervened and spared his son.

Life will throw us some huge challenges, and God will ask us to trust Him completely, and we have a choice to make.  Succumb to fear…or obey.

When we obey, when we fear (honor and revere) God more than we fear our circumstances, we will see deliverance come.