By: Steve Wilmot
Five-year old Johnny was in the kitchen as his mother made supper. She asked him to go into the pantry and get her a can of tomato soup, but he didn’t want to go in alone. “It’s dark in there and I’m scared.”
She asked again, and he persisted. Finally, she said, “It’s OK — Jesus will be in there with you.” Johnny walked hesitantly to the door and slowly opened it.
He peeked inside, saw it was dark, and started to leave when all at once an idea came, and he said: “Jesus, if you’re in there, would you hand me that can of tomato soup?”
Fear. Seems like it always shows up. So, we leave the light on in the bedroom. Check under the bed for the boogie man. Vow to never go into the basement.
We tend to experience fear when we ask her for a date. Make the cut for the basketball team. Give a speech in a roomful of people. Say yes to a marriage proposal. Strap up to parasail or zip line. Compare the bills with the checkbook balance. Start a new job. Consider the inevitability of death.
Bible scholars are unable to identify the exact circumstances of David’s life when he wrote Psalm 27. Maybe it was something like we face today. Wars in the Middle East and Ukraine. Riots in the streets and on college campuses. Mob violence everywhere. An invasion of illegal immigrants. No help from our politicians in Washington.
These are scary times, no doubt about it. In David’s case, we don’t know the details. All we know is there was trouble all around him, and he was outnumbered by his enemies.
Trapped in an environment fertile for fear. But instead, David writes these words: The Lord is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life — of whom should I be afraid? (Psalm 27.1).
David is unafraid and confident. So confident in fact that he declares those who attack him “will stumble and fall” (vs. 2). He further proclaims, “though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear” (vs. 3). That’s one man against thousands of soldiers, and yet David says he won’t be afraid.
Where does courage like that come from? David reports he wasn’t afraid because [a] he knew God was enough to protect him (vs. 1), and [b] he spent time with God (vs. 4-6).
David knew God was the all-powerful I AM. The God who had already delivered him from a 9-foot-9-inch giant, Goliath.
The God who kept him safe when King Saul was after him. The God who protected him from being found defenseless in a cave when King Saul and his officers huddled inside for some R-and-R. David knew no one nor nothing could harm him when God was beside him… which he always is.
Do you? Do you know there is nothing to fear even in your darkest situations? Those times when you can’t see a light at the end of the tunnel, and you begin to wonder if there will ever be light again? God is your light; do not fear.
When you’re weary of the struggle to beat back fear with faith, disappointed that though you fought off fear today it shows up again tomorrow. Remember, God is your strength.
When the ingredients that create fear in you grow and multiply like yeast, remember God is your refuge. You can run to him for shelter, rest, and renewal. For your wounds to heal.
When you feel overwhelmed, and you’re too exhausted to deal with your all the adversity that surrounds you, remember God is with you to fight for you, to give you victory. And to fight by your side after you’re revitalized and ready for battle again.
Since the Lord is your light and salvation, whom shall you fear? Pause to personalize this truth as David did.
This isn’t some platitude or mind game; this is truth: “Since the Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?”
Think about it. Whom is there to fear? What circumstance should strike terror in your heart? Who is mightier than God? What situation can barge past God’s defenses to defeat you?
If God is for you, who can be against you? (Romans 8.31)
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Steve Wilmot is a former Edgerton, Ohio area pastor who now seeks “to still bear fruit in old age” through writing. He is the author of seven books designed to assist believers to make steady progress on their spiritual journey.