Ramblings from Retirement: The only thing we have to fear is…
Ramblings from Retirement: The only thing we have to fear is…
By Lee Hemen (Retired Pastor)
October 24, 2020
There is a famous line from Franklin Delano Roosevelt, often referred to by his initials FDR who said in one of his speeches, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”; sounds pithy doesn’t it? It helped a lot of folks during the crisis of the Depression and looming World War II that they could face their fear and move on as a Nation. Yet in our day and age we have politicians who focus on our fears and try to scare us into voting for them or otherwise we will face doom, gloom, and even death! It is a basement mentality and I fear has a lot of folks fooled in our day into thinking that we’re all gonna die from something. Well guess what? We are.
The writer of the Book of Hebrews in the Bible wrote that “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” meaning we will all die at some point and face that same judgment. However he doesn’t stop there but continues by writing “…so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:27-28 NIV)” In this statement we find not just hope but the means to calm any fear we might have.
For those who have trusted Jesus they should not live a life of fear worrying about what today or tomorrow may bring. In a beautiful soliloquy Jesus related: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:25-34 NIV)”
Now there are those who mistakenly think that Jesus meant we are to just sit back in a field of grass (perhaps smoke some of it) and allow God to just flow over us and take care of all our needs. Nothing could be further from the truth. (And no I am not advocating drugs, alcohol, or marijuana use ever.) What Jesus was teaching here is the fact that if you know God you know the Creator of all things, including birds and such. And just as he created them he created you and cares for you and knows all about you. This is why Jesus was constantly reminding his disciples to “fear not” or “do not be afraid” because they lived in a world where death could be in the next moment and life was short-lived. By comparison we live in a day well into our 80s with good health.
That fiery little redheaded man with a gimp the Apostle Paul understood this full well. In fact he came to a place in his faith whereby he could confidently state, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21 NIV)” And this is from a guy who was chained to two Roman soldiers, under arrest, and waiting perhaps for his own beheading! Paul understood what many of us who are cowering in our basements and afraid to go outside have forgotten: That if we have Christ we have everything! This world is not our permanent home; we’re just a passin’ through!
I am reminded of Moses who asked God to show him His glory. Now this was impossible because if God did Moses would have died instantly. God told Moses that “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live” however God told him, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.” (Exodus 33:14-23) We often want “proof” that God will take care of us and He has given us all the proof we need in Jesus who walked this earth, died on a cross for our sins, is coming again, and has promised eternal life if we trust Him. Jesus is our cleft in the rock in a world of worry.
No politician, pundit, or person can guarantee our complete protection, only God can provide for our eternal existence. In this we are to find peace and comfort for today, right now in this moment.
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This article is copyrighted © 2020 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
By Lee Hemen (Retired Pastor)
October 24, 2020
There is a famous line from Franklin Delano Roosevelt, often referred to by his initials FDR who said in one of his speeches, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”; sounds pithy doesn’t it? It helped a lot of folks during the crisis of the Depression and looming World War II that they could face their fear and move on as a Nation. Yet in our day and age we have politicians who focus on our fears and try to scare us into voting for them or otherwise we will face doom, gloom, and even death! It is a basement mentality and I fear has a lot of folks fooled in our day into thinking that we’re all gonna die from something. Well guess what? We are.
The writer of the Book of Hebrews in the Bible wrote that “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” meaning we will all die at some point and face that same judgment. However he doesn’t stop there but continues by writing “…so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:27-28 NIV)” In this statement we find not just hope but the means to calm any fear we might have.
For those who have trusted Jesus they should not live a life of fear worrying about what today or tomorrow may bring. In a beautiful soliloquy Jesus related: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:25-34 NIV)”
Now there are those who mistakenly think that Jesus meant we are to just sit back in a field of grass (perhaps smoke some of it) and allow God to just flow over us and take care of all our needs. Nothing could be further from the truth. (And no I am not advocating drugs, alcohol, or marijuana use ever.) What Jesus was teaching here is the fact that if you know God you know the Creator of all things, including birds and such. And just as he created them he created you and cares for you and knows all about you. This is why Jesus was constantly reminding his disciples to “fear not” or “do not be afraid” because they lived in a world where death could be in the next moment and life was short-lived. By comparison we live in a day well into our 80s with good health.
That fiery little redheaded man with a gimp the Apostle Paul understood this full well. In fact he came to a place in his faith whereby he could confidently state, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21 NIV)” And this is from a guy who was chained to two Roman soldiers, under arrest, and waiting perhaps for his own beheading! Paul understood what many of us who are cowering in our basements and afraid to go outside have forgotten: That if we have Christ we have everything! This world is not our permanent home; we’re just a passin’ through!
I am reminded of Moses who asked God to show him His glory. Now this was impossible because if God did Moses would have died instantly. God told Moses that “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live” however God told him, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.” (Exodus 33:14-23) We often want “proof” that God will take care of us and He has given us all the proof we need in Jesus who walked this earth, died on a cross for our sins, is coming again, and has promised eternal life if we trust Him. Jesus is our cleft in the rock in a world of worry.
No politician, pundit, or person can guarantee our complete protection, only God can provide for our eternal existence. In this we are to find peace and comfort for today, right now in this moment.
----
This article is copyrighted © 2020 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
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