Fear is not from God . . .

Exodus 16; Job 34; Luke 19; 2 Corinthians 4

This morning’s news gave a death rate statistic on the coronavirus compared to the death rate of ordinary flu viruses. I went to a website that tells how that statistic was determined and it proved the old saying that statistics can be manipulated to make them say whatever is wanted. For instance, if non-reported cases are included, this ‘scary’ number is not accurate, but for obvious reasons, those cases cannot be included.

If this was not personal, I would pay little attention to it, but it feels personal. I feel as if someone or something is trying to put fear into my heart, never mind most of the planet. I know fear is not from God (see yesterday’s post) so where is it coming from? I also know that some people love to exaggerate. Is this part of what is happening?

In Job, another trait of humanity shows up. Job is accused again and again of lying. His accusers are certain God is punishing him for something he did even though Job insists otherwise. Here is what one of them said:

“Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without insight. Would that Job were tried to the end, because he answers like wicked men. For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.” (Job 34:35–37)

Yet at the end of this book, here is what God says:

After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” (Job 42:7)

He then said that Job would pray for them and “I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” (Job 42:8b)

These friends did a lot of yacking without knowing or understanding the truth. Is that what the media is doing as it makes reports about this virus? Some accuse the media of trying to boost their market by terrifying people then reporting the results of those fears. To be honest, it makes me wonder if the world is going off balance.

At the very least, humanity can be fickle. In Luke 19, Jesus enters Jerusalem and His disciples rejoiced. The other gospels included crowds of people, yet very soon the crowds would be saying, “Crucify Him!” It happens in our world in a less significant way with politicians. They get elected amid cheers and soon the same crowd that cheered is throwing insults.

2 Corinthians 4 does offer some explanations for the contrary ways we display. It says that Christians operate in a different realm and way of thinking than non-believing people because . . .

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. (2 Corinthians 4:4–7)

Yet even as Christ lives in us, the clay jars are all too obvious at times. We can be just like those who do not know His grace and power. We can be too focused on the “things that are seen” rather than the eternal things not seen.

I’ve been saying that the panic over this virus or any other threat to our well-being is really about the fear of dying. Today’s reading is chapter 4 but chapter 5 begins with this:

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. (2 Corinthians 5:1–9)

I needed to read that. What is the worst thing that could happen? Contracting this deadly virus and going home to be with Jesus? Or staying here and be afraid of dying like many are?

APPLY: Confess all fears, rethink the source of them and trust Jesus. Tell others the good news — that Jesus loves them and promises everlasting life to all who put their faith in Him.

Death needed for Light to shine

Echoing what the devotional says today, sin is a sadly common fact of life. No believer in the Bible bragged about his goodness because all of them struggled with sin. It is as Chinese martyr Watchman Nee said — being a Christian is like having two dogs fighting inside. We have two natures within us. One is the new person — righteous because of being united to Jesus Christ. The other is our flesh, the old nature that has a love/hate relationship with sin and both wants to do it, yet longs for freedom from it. However, the flesh is totally unable to do anything against sin. It may try to keep the law of God, but cannot. It is as Paul said:

“For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.” (Romans 7:14–20)

Every Christian knows this battle, but not everyone realizes our war is between flesh and sin, law-keeping and failure. My spiritual victories cannot be won that way. As in salvation, I cannot depend on my flesh-efforts but on the power and sustaining grace of God. The flesh is feeble and weak, yet needs to go one step farther because the only answer is complete deadness. Instead of trying harder, the flesh must yield to death and cease from interfering with the grace that not only saves but sanctifies.

God says, “Let light shine out of darkness.” He has shone in my heart to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But I have this treasure in a jar of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to me. (2 Corinthians 4:6–7)

How can it be? A jar of clay in Bible times was used to transport water, not light. The only way light could be seen through the walls of that jar would be if it were broken, full of holes, generally useless in the ordinary duties of being a jar. Only then can light shine through it.

This fits with what God told Paul. He said His grace was made perfect in weakness. If I am like a cracked and hole-filled jar, I would feel weak, even helpless — and isn’t this what God wants? The jar, the old nature, is the only thing visible to others if it remains unbroken. Only when it is weak and useless for all other purposes, can the light of Jesus Christ shine through to those outside.

^^^^^^^

Jesus, You know how I hate to feel weak. You know that I need to let Your life shine through me and the only way that will happen is when I am broken, yielded, weak, unfit for anything else but bearing Your image. You lived that way, totally relying on the Father, full of grace and truth. I realize that the problem isn’t in being like You, but in resisting Your work in me to so I can let Your light shine. My flesh nature is too alive, too greedy, too hungry for power and control. Help me to stop feeding it and allow it to shrivel and die.