Fear Not

The world seems to have gone nuts.  People are seeing unidentified flying objects.  The government confirms it.  Senator Marco Rubio claims UFO’s are flying over our military installations.  Pilots have videos of mysterious objects flying rapidly and making ninety degree turns — something physically impossible for humans at the speed those objects are flying.  They seem to defy the known laws of physics.

Over the past summer, Americans watched other Americans burn down cities while reporters stood in front of the burning rubble claiming the protests were peaceful, but your eyes might be racist.  In January, supporters of President Trump stormed the United States Capitol with some of them having erected a gallows and noose to hang the Vice President.  Most of the President’s supporters, to this day, blame progressives.

The actress Ellen Page has become Elliot Page and Time magazine tells us Elliot always was.  Anyone who points out men cannot become women is considered a bigot.  The left demands we believe the mass shootings at Asian themed spas in Atlanta were part of a pattern of anti-Asian hate though they were not.  Concurrently, the left wants us to believe the shootings were because of Christian sexual ethics.

On universities and in Fortune 500 companies across America, woke is in and normal is deviant, bigoted, and shameful.  Democrats in Congress are attempting to pass something they call the Equality Act, which would amount to state sponsored persecution against Christians in America, including punishing Christian organizations.

People who speak up about their faith are pilloried and shamed.  The media heralds President Biden as a Christian role model despite his advocacy of abortion and support for policies that would harm Christians, harass nuns, and shut down Christian organizations.

Children are turning against parents in battles of woke.  Ten year old tweets from high school can get a twenty-something fired.  No apology is good enough.  Environmentalists are openly lamenting economic recovery because it will harm the planet.

Things are nuts.

A lot of Christians in the country have forgotten the battles they fight are not really political, but spiritual.  Paul writes in Ephesians 6:12, “[W]e are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”

Christians in America have been looking, in many cases, for political saviors to help them withstand the forces of the world.  But those political saviors cannot protect us and, as we approach Holy Week, Christians would do well to remember that.  But there is hope.  The God of all creation is on their side.  

“I have chosen you and not cast you off; fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand,” God says in Isaiah 41:9-10.

King David wrote in Psalm 27:3, “Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.” We should be more like David and trust in the Lord.

Psalm 73 paints a picture of the world against the believer.  Those of the world will get rich, fat, and happy.  They will enjoy the comforts of the world and the believer will wonder how it can be so.  The believer will be tempted to be more worldly to enjoy the comforts of the world.  But Asaph, the writer of Psalm 73, realizes that the unbeliever prospers now as an act of God’s mercy. This is the best they will ever have it and for the believer this world is the worst they will ever have it.

The things of the world hate the things of God.  Worldly politicians cannot save the believer from the world.  But we do not need to be angry.  We do not need to be afraid.  God’s got this.  He has us.  He holds the universe in His hands and He conquered death and will return.  Do not be afraid.  Instead, love your neighbor as yourself and fear God, not the future.