Antidote to fear

Numbers 21; Psalms 60–61; Isaiah 10:5–34; James 4

Yesterday two people called. The first is a woman who knows Jesus and who trusts Him completely during this pandemic. She knows where she will go if she is inflicted and dies. At the same time, she obeys all the rules and is not griping about them.

The other person knows about God, but she is terrified. The isolation is getting to her. She wants to trust the Lord but said she cannot do it, “It is too hard.” She does not know Him and is struggling with how to live under such a threat to her and her family. I tried to explain but realize only the Holy Spirit can reach her heart with saving faith and peace.

Numbers 21 tells of God’s people fluctuating from trust to frustration with God because He was not giving them what they wanted.

“Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. (Numbers 21:5–9)

This is another OT example of trusting Christ who was also lifted up, yet life was only given to those who turned to look at the bronze serpent. It didn’t happen by merely knowing it was there.

The psalmist exemplifies this choice too. David was in a low spot with enemies all over him. He felt defeated and alone. In faith he called out to God:

Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy. (Psalm 61:1–3)

My second caller needs to do that. So do I. I could take His care for granted and yet there is no guarantee of getting what I want. He bids me to seek His face. His Word continually invites communion, trust, closeness. Even the morning news pushes me toward the Lord. I feel protected in our home, but the world out there is portrayed as unsafe and dangerous. I can understand why my friend is so afraid. She does not know the Refuge, the Strong Tower of peace.

The other truth that helps me is knowing God is in this. Isaiah 10 is about God using a godless entity to deal with the disobedience of His people. That seems odd and unfair but it happened often in OT history. In this instance, after telling them only a few will remain after He deals with them, He adds:

In that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no more lean on him who struck them, but will lean on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. . . . For though your people Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. Destruction is decreed, overflowing with righteousness. For the Lord God of hosts will make a full end, as decreed, in the midst of all the earth. Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts: “O my people . . . . be not afraid . . . . For in a very little while my fury will come to an end . . . and in that day his burden will depart from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck . . . “ (Isaiah 10:20–27)

God will use harsh means to correct His people, yet I share this thought only with those who believe in Him. The caller with faith in Christ wholeheartedly agrees. The other caller is not ready to hear that God has a plan and is using Covid-19.

If anyone wonders why the people of God need this trial, James 4 offers clues. Too many have become “friends with the world” and proud, speaking evil against one another and boasting about our plans as if God has no hand in our lives. James warns:

`“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (James 4:6–10)

APPLY: I have pride, been double-minded, and need to continually humble myself before Him, trusting Him and drawing near in obedience and mourning my neglect. I also need to pray for others who need to know the peace He gives to those who totally trust Him with their lives.