Banish Fear

FEAR NOT LITTLE LAMB

These have been troubling times for many people. I’ve heard from scores of people who are scared, whether it’s Covid or the election. But I want to say, “Fear not.”

You may remember the story of the Israelites in Exodus 14. They had just escaped the tyrannical enslavement of Pharaoh in Egypt. They were crossing the desert on their way to the promise land when they came to an impasse at the Red Sea. And to make matters worse, Pharaoh had decided he didn’t want to let them go. After all, that was a lot of free labor just lost. He sent his army to hall them on back. So talk about between a lake and a hard place….

Then God parts the Red Sea so that a wall of water stands on each side and He even dries out a path for them to walk over to the other side. They get the whole nation across and then they see the soldiers with their horses and chariots coming their way at breakneck speed. They are standing there tired, hungry and terrified. Their feet hurt and they had just wanted to sit down for a chicken dinner, but now they are so scared they couldn’t possibly eat.

At the moment that it’s  looking totally impossible, the wheels start wobbling on the chariots. That spooks the soldiers and they attempt to turn around. And that’s when God lets the water walls go back down. They all drown. And God is looking at the Israelites saying they didn’t need to get their stress hormones all worked up. He had it all under control. 

That’s the story for us right now.

I posted this conversation between little lamb and God a while back. Over 13,000 people loved it. I thought it was perfect to  share with you today.

Me: Okay, God, here’s the thing. I’m scared. I’m trying not to be, but I am.

God: I know. Want to talk about it?

Me: Do we need to? I mean, you already know.

God: Let’s talk about it anyway… We’ve done this before.

Me: I know, I just feel like I should be bigger or stronger or something by now.

God: *waiting patiently, unhurried, undistracted, never annoyed.”

Me: Okay. So, I’m afraid. I’ll do everything I can to protect my family and it won’t be enough. I’m afraid of someone I love dying. I’m afraid the world won’t go back to what it was before. I’m afraid my life is always going to feel this unsettled.

God: Anything else?

Me: EVERYTHING ELSE.

God: Remember how your daughter woke up the other night and came running down the hall to your bedroom?

Me: Yes.

God: You were still awake, so when you heard her running, you started calling out to her before she even got to you… remember? Do you remember what you called out to her?

Me: I said, “You’re okay! You’re okay! You’re okay! I’m here.”

God: Why did you call out to her? Why didn’t you just wait for her to get to your room?

Me: Because I wanted her to know that I was awake, and I heard her, and she didn’t have to be afraid until she reached the end of the dark hallway.

God: Exactly. I hear you, my child. I hear your thoughts racing like feet down the dark hallway. There’s another side to all of this. I’m there already. I’ve seen the end of it. And I want you to know right here as you walk through it all, you’re okay. I haven’t gone to sleep, and I won’t.

Me: *crying. Can we sit together awhile? Can we just sit here a minute before I go back to facing it all?

God: There’s nothing I’d love more.

by: Becky Thompson