By: Bobot Apit

Dec 9, 2010 - Thursday Meditation (Fear Not!) 
God says to fear not.  This command usually seems to come when fear seems pretty normal.  Why?  I think part of it is because God wants a relationship with us.  God wants us to trust and put our faith in Him.  Fear never seems to encourage or build a relationship.  When a bear is approaching, fear is a good thing.  When Christmas is approaching, fear is a bad thing.  
  
Thursday of the second week in Advent 
Isaiah 41:13-20 
Psalm 145:1+9, 10-11, 12-13ab 
Matthew 11:11-15 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and men of violence take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John; 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Eli'jah who is to come.15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear. 
  
Meditation by Daniel Patrick O'Reilly -  ( Creighton University ) 
Today’s scripture readings seem to speak of fear.  And, oddly, I’m seeing fear (at least when it comes to relationships) as a bad thing.  In the Book of Isaiah, God says to Israel , fear not (He says it twice) and I will not forsake you.  The psalmist proclaims, Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom.  And in Matthew, Jesus tells the crowds about John the Baptist and says, Whoever has ears ought to hear. 
Sixteen days to Christmas.  That should be proclaimed in joy.  Instead it often is a statement of fear and dread.  Time is running out.  Can you feel the pressure and stress?  Is the fear that Christmas won’t be perfect going to wreck Christmas?  Fear not.  Easy for God to say.  He doesn’t have to deal with this stress and all these crazy people……  oh yeah, I guess He does. 
  
We are in the process of moving to a different house and the stress level is pretty high in the O’Reilly household.  The other evening I came home carrying a casserole for dinner (God bless my mom).  I was in a hurry to drop off dinner and run some errands.  Of course, the cat chose that moment to run under my feet.  I slipped and the casserole went everywhere.  Being the cool, calm, collected adult Christian male that I am, I chose to take a deep breath….  And shout and swear so loudly, my mom probably heard it.  I told the two youngest that I had to leave and I wanted this cleaned up by the time I got home, I didn’t care what they had to do.  They asked if they could use the dog.  Later, when I had calmed down, I actually thought that was pretty funny and a practical idea.  My wife told me later that the boys had said I had frightened them.  Being a good father is so important to me.  The whole episode really upset me.  I don’t
want fear.  I don’t want boys who dread the season.  I don’t want to be the one who steals the smiles from my sons’ faces.  I want a healthy relationship.  I want them to see God’s love.  I want to be Christ’s ambassador.  I want to leave a legacy of faith in God.  I would rather not be remembered as the Grinch who flips out when the noodles hit the floor.  How do I do that? 
  
I guess that is part of the reason I read scripture.  I want to be assured of God’s love.  I want to learn about Jesus.  I want to be a better husband and father.  Learning how to be more like Jesus is part of that. 
  
God says to fear not.  This command usually seems to come when fear seems pretty normal.  Why?  I think part of it is because God wants a relationship with us.  God wants us to trust and put our faith in Him.  Fear never seems to encourage or build a relationship.  When a bear is approaching, fear is a good thing.  When Christmas is approaching, fear is a bad thing.  
  
My prayer this day is for those of us who at times dread Christmas.  That we would recognize the true meaning and wonderful gift that Christmas is.  God says fear not.  God sends his Son to be with us.  I think we can take that to mean God loves us.  That we truly can trust God. 
  
What a wonderful thing.  Merry Christmas. 
  
  
  
  
Supplementary Reading 
Called to the Mission Field 
  
To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit. -  1 Corinthians 12:8 
  
  
"I'm called to the mission field," said the beautiful young woman. 
  
It was my first real encounter with the woman. As she spoke the words to me, I heard these words, "She's called to the mission field, but it's not what she thinks." I quietly kept this to myself until the following week when I felt compelled to share these words with her. She was taken back as I conveyed what I felt the Lord was saying to her. She questioned my motives, thinking I might simply be trying to gain her heart. 
Sometimes God speaks through others to move His purposes forward in an individual's life. He will speak through those willing to listen and speak. It is exciting to know God speaks to us and through us at times. Henry Blackaby, author of Experiencing God, believes God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the Church (His Body) to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways. 
  
After three days passed, the woman called me on the telephone and said, "I have sold all that I have to go to the mission field but have not been accepted as yet. I believe what you said is true. I've had a history of thinking the Lord was doing one thing in my life only for it to end up as another." 
  
As the days progressed, God made it known these words were, in fact, true. She was called to the mission field of marriage and the workplace was with her husband, this writer. - OS Hillman