The dictionary defines fear as an unpleasant emotion caused by the false belief that someone or something is dangerous and likely to cause pain or a threat. If we ask ourselves the question, “Is the world a safer place than when we were growing up”? 9 out of 10 of us may say “No”. Someone once described fear in an acronym: False Expectations Appearing Real. According to philosopher Aristotle
“Fear is pain arising from the anticipation of evil”.
Is it not true that in spite of being Christians for years, at times, we not only fear and feel unsafe in new places where we are surrounded by new people but also in familiar environments? Our thought for reflection this Monday morning is “Our God is Our Security”.
When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” because he was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “The men of this place might kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is beautiful”
(Genesis 26:7)
Being in a new place, Isaac adopted the same tactics to hide the true identity of his wife Rebekah just as his father Abraham had earlier used to hide the identity of Sarah, both in Egypt (Genesis 12:10-12) and Gerar (Genesis 20:1-18). Isaac felt that the safest way to avoid trouble because of Rebekah’s beauty was to lie that she was a blood relative and not his wife. He was afraid because of the following reasons:
1. He FORGOT HIS IDENTITY in God.
God had told Isaac that He would make his descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and would give them all the land and through his offspring all the nations on earth would be blessed. That means God had a long term plan for Isaac (Genesis 26:4). But Isaac forgot that who he was in God’s sight. In fact, he was God’s chosen vessel to bless the nations of the world. He even forgot that if God had asked him not to go to Egypt but to remain in Canaan, it would be God’s responsibility to protect him from any kind of attack or danger, too? Forgetting who we are in Christ, are we constantly gripped by a sense of insecurity?
2. He FAILED TO REMEMBER God’s promise.
Isaac totally forgot God’s promise that He would be with him and would bless him (Genesis 26:3). In spite God’s promise, Isaac repeated his father’s folly of declaring his own wife as his sister. The reason for Isaac using his own tactics to protect himself was, he was afraid that the men of Gerar would kill him on account of his beautiful wife Rebekah. When problems overshadow the promises of God, fear overwhelm us. Do we often forget the promise of God:
“for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye”
(Zechariah 2:8)
With so many fears and uncertainties surrounding us in today’s unsafe world, where do we turn for security? Can armoured vehicles and bodyguards ensure our security? God says,
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God”
(Isaiah 41:10).
Let’s pray:
“Dear Lord, the situations and circumstances ahead of me create fear in me. Forgive my attempts in the past, to depend on human sources to ensure my security. As I begin a new week, help me to remember my identity in you and your unfailing promise, never to leave me alone. I begin this day and week, relying totally in your security. In Jesus’ name,... Amen!”
Blessed week