"So Many People Forget That the First Country the Nazis Invaded was Their Own"
How are we to respond, when the world seems to be falling apart? The mourning with those who mourn part seems easy, when the lives lost are so innocent. But after mourning and shock, if we aren’t careful, comes fear. Have you heard it?
Fear is pervasive in the world right now. It crawls through the airwaves and slithers through the strands of the web in countries around the world, injecting itself into talk radio, social media, and television nearly equally. Its clammy hands are strangling every other emotion and driving every other thought from hearts and heads around the world. How can we feel anything else in the grip of fear?
What will become of this world?
Where will they strike next?
Is it still safe to go out? To take that trip? Get on that airplane?
And just like that, fear has overtaken faith. Just like that, fear has overtaken compassion. And, if we allow fear to overtake us, just like that, fear has won. ”God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (I Tim. 1:7)
Fear is an enslavement. “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” (I John 4:18a)
The command “Fear Not” appears 365 times in Scripture, by some counts. Man is a fearful creature, it seems. Life is fragile, and in moments like these we grasp onto life as if it were the object. Life is not the object of our relationship with God. Life is the result of that relationship. That cannot be taken from us.
“Whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil.” Proverbs 1:33
Listen to God. Soak up His word, which He gave for our comfort, our instruction. Inside the pages of Scripture we find confirmation – life IS precious. But life is a gift from God. He planned us. He formed us. He cares for us. And no one can snatch us out of the Father’s hand.
"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." Matt 10:28-31.
But, I hear you say, the world is a chaotic and sin-laden place. Yes, it is, but the world does not rule or control our lives. God does. Listen to His word. We dwell securely in His hand, whether in this world or eternally with Him. Our security does not lie in this life. Our security lies in eternal life. Be secure in your relationship with God, and fear not, dear friend.
So then, how do we react? What should we do?
Fear is pervasive in the world right now. It crawls through the airwaves and slithers through the strands of the web in countries around the world, injecting itself into talk radio, social media, and television nearly equally. Its clammy hands are strangling every other emotion and driving every other thought from hearts and heads around the world. How can we feel anything else in the grip of fear?
What will become of this world?
Where will they strike next?
Is it still safe to go out? To take that trip? Get on that airplane?
And just like that, fear has overtaken faith. Just like that, fear has overtaken compassion. And, if we allow fear to overtake us, just like that, fear has won. ”God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (I Tim. 1:7)
Fear is an enslavement. “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” (I John 4:18a)
The command “Fear Not” appears 365 times in Scripture, by some counts. Man is a fearful creature, it seems. Life is fragile, and in moments like these we grasp onto life as if it were the object. Life is not the object of our relationship with God. Life is the result of that relationship. That cannot be taken from us.
“Whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil.” Proverbs 1:33
Listen to God. Soak up His word, which He gave for our comfort, our instruction. Inside the pages of Scripture we find confirmation – life IS precious. But life is a gift from God. He planned us. He formed us. He cares for us. And no one can snatch us out of the Father’s hand.
"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." Matt 10:28-31.
But, I hear you say, the world is a chaotic and sin-laden place. Yes, it is, but the world does not rule or control our lives. God does. Listen to His word. We dwell securely in His hand, whether in this world or eternally with Him. Our security does not lie in this life. Our security lies in eternal life. Be secure in your relationship with God, and fear not, dear friend.
So then, how do we react? What should we do?
- Pause and pray. Be absolutely sure that your responses, your words, and your calls to action come not from fear, but from faith.
- Guard your heart. Take your thoughts captive – exert control and discipline over your thoughts, focusing on the truth of Scripture rather than the sounds of fear you hear all around you.
- Remember what our purpose on this earth is. We are not called to focus on preserving our lives, but to focus on spending them to serve Him. How can you serve Him in this crisis?
- Finally, act as a result of the motivation to be the hands and heart of Jesus, to share the love of God with those who need to experience it, to bring glory to His name.
And that title - “So Many People Forget That the First Country the Nazis Invaded was Their Own”? – that is a line from the movie Captain America, but it applies. So many people forget that the first religion to suffer at the hands of ISIS was Islam. The first people to be killed by ISIS were Muslim. The first countries to be invaded by ISIS were their own.
There is no question that we are in the middle of the biggest refugee crisis of our lifetime. There are many, many fine agencies working with the refugees overseas – I have listed contact information for two that we recommend below. Let’s not lose track of who the enemy is.
Don’t allow fear to overcome your faith. Trust God. Continue to live for Him, to be His hands and feet, to show His love however you can.
Blessings,
Cara & Patti
Classic Christianity
Here are two organizations we can wholeheartedly recommend:
If you would like to provide help to the Syrian refugees in Jesus’ name, Samaritan’s Purse is an excellent organization, helping the refugees in Greece. They need volunteers and they need donations. Here is their link:
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/aid-for-refugees-on-samos-island/
Servant Group International has been working with Muslims in the Middle East for over twenty years. They are inside Iraq, Greece, and in other hot spots, providing care and help for refugees as well. They need donations, and they need people willing to go in 2016 – teams are forming now for short and intermediate length team assignments.
http://www.servantgroup.org/
There is no question that we are in the middle of the biggest refugee crisis of our lifetime. There are many, many fine agencies working with the refugees overseas – I have listed contact information for two that we recommend below. Let’s not lose track of who the enemy is.
Don’t allow fear to overcome your faith. Trust God. Continue to live for Him, to be His hands and feet, to show His love however you can.
Blessings,
Cara & Patti
Classic Christianity
Here are two organizations we can wholeheartedly recommend:
If you would like to provide help to the Syrian refugees in Jesus’ name, Samaritan’s Purse is an excellent organization, helping the refugees in Greece. They need volunteers and they need donations. Here is their link:
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/aid-for-refugees-on-samos-island/
Servant Group International has been working with Muslims in the Middle East for over twenty years. They are inside Iraq, Greece, and in other hot spots, providing care and help for refugees as well. They need donations, and they need people willing to go in 2016 – teams are forming now for short and intermediate length team assignments.
http://www.servantgroup.org/
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