No New Evil
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1
In 2016 my sister attended our city's Citizen's Police Academy. As a part of this 13 week class to educate citizens about the inner workings of the police was the opportunity to go on a 4 hour ride-along with an on-duty police officer.
The stories my sister came home with about her ride were fascinating, but I knew I personally would never want to go on a ride. Who would want to ride around town with someone whose job is to confront bad guys? That doesn't seem very safe. But I had nothing to worry about because I wasn't going to ever get that opportunity anyway... right?
In the winter of 2016 I started writing the first book in my new series The Life of Laramie McCreedy, and since it was greatly inspired by the life of one of the police officer's Betsy had met at academy I wanted to use this series to advocate for the police.
Of course I knew nothing about policing so it seemed like a good idea for me to attend the next year's Citizen's academy. Oh no, but if I go to Citizen's Academy then... I could go on one of those... gulp... rides with that officer whose job is to be around bad guys!
Sadly, I spent about 5 months listening to the enemy's whispers about all that could go wrong if I went on that ride.
Then the big night came! Our first class and after an exciting tour of the building we had the chance to sign up for our ride. Now the ride was optional, but how could I not go? You're researching policing and you're going to pass up a first hand experience?! A front row seat?!
Fear was screaming loud, but the public humiliation of caving to it was greater and I signed up.
For the next several weeks my dread intensified and I seriously considered telling the Sergeant I'd changed my mind. But I couldn't bring myself to do it.
Whether at this point he knew it or not, I am a follower of Christ. How stupid would I look backing out. Yes, I believe in the Creator of the universe, the One who parted seas, killed giants, shut the mouths of lions, and guarded Elisha with a multitude of flaming chariots, but... I can't go on this ride, because I'm scared for my life!
Then the Lord opened my eyes to a profound truth.
"What are you afraid of?"
"This possible unknown evil that I may encounter!"
"There is no unknown evil. There is no mysterious new wickedness."
"What?"
Every evil, wicked, or bad thing, comes from the same source.
And you know who this source is.
"Oh... him?"
The one who is under Your feet?
He bowed the heavens also, and came down
With darkness under His feet.
2 Samuel 22:10
The one who has to flee?
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
James 4:7
The one who has been defeated?
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 John 5:4
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
1 John 4:4
Yep, the only enemy man has ever had, the serpent in the garden who got his head crushed by Jesus at Calvary is the same one trying to scare everyone today.
He boasts of his evil in big splashy news stories hoping to scare us and make us believe that God is somehow no longer in control. But Jesus told us the enemy is a liar. From the subtle whisper in your ear to the big smoke screens of power on TV he's trying to paralyze us with fear, to get us to forget that we serve the God who parted seas, killed giants, shut the mouths of lions, and guarded Elisha with a multitude of flaming chariots! The One who wrote out our days before we were born (Psalm 139:16), who holds our breath in His hand (Job 12:10), and who cannot have a single life snatched out of that hand (John 10:28-29).
Why did David run to meet Goliath?
Why did Daniel pray when he knew the punishment?
Why didn't Elisha flee from his enemies?
Because they were so confident in their ability to protect themselves? No, because they knew who was with them.
When I climbed into the passenger's seat of that police car I had complete peace. Not because of the armed officer sitting next me, but because I knew who holds my life in His hands.
I wasted months fearing nothing. Don't be deceived by the news that rages around us, don't bow to the fears that whisper in your ear, He is still on the throne, He has NOT been defeated, and He has never stopped holding your life in His hands.
The One who went before the priests, who surged through David, who honored Daniel, and who surrounded Elisha is the same One who has promised to walk beside you today.
Trust isn't a feeling, it's a choice.
When I left the house that morning for my ride, I tried not to cry as I hugged my family goodbye. I stepped out of the house terrified, but I was choosing obedience, I was choosing to trust, and as I climbed into my car I was overwhelmed with the Lord's love for me. A love so strong I wept the entire way to the police department. A love so perfect it cast out my fear and after wiping away all signs of crying out in the parking lot I walked into that building at peace.
I had opened the door to fear and when we do our feelings aren't going to line up. If I had waited until I felt secure in Him I would have never gone. I had to choose to believe what was true and act upon it despite what I felt.
If you have opened the door to fear, don't wait until your feelings line up, choose now to believe the truth and act upon it!
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