As someone who has read through the Bible a few times, I am still surprised when my daily Bible reading is based on a passage I assumed I knew. Recently, the readings focused on the life of Elisha including 2 Kings chapter 10. God had decreed that the wicked family of King Ahab should be eliminated. Jehu, a successor king, instructed officials in Samaria to “fight for Ahab’s dynasty”. The response was “they were paralysed with fear.” Their initial reaction to Jehu was, “We have seen that two kings couldn’t stand against this man! What can we do?” Verse 5 records, “So the palace administrator, the city governor, the elders and the guardians sent this message to Jehu: “We are your servants and we will do anything you say. We will not appoint anyone as king; you do whatever you think best.”
As I look back over many years as a Christian, and even now, there are times when I am faced with situations that I wish would disappear. One definition of “fear” is “an unpleasant, often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger”. Reading that, I was reminded of the account of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane who “sweat, as it were, drops of blood”.
Though I have never experienced such a reaction when facing my fears, I thank God that I can talk to Him in the knowledge that He is aware of my reaction even if I cannot express how I feel. Some readers may recall a phrase I have used before that says, Whenever I feel afraid, I will trust in You.
I saw this recently, “Worry is a conversation you have with yourself about things you cannot change. Prayer is a conversation you have with God about things He can change”.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, it is only human to react with a sense of fear when facing uncertain and unwelcome experiences. Please help us to know that You are aware of our feelings and will provide the support to help us. AMEN.