Bad Decisions
I will fear no evil, for You are with me Psalm 23:4
Fear – Swine flu! The latest in a world of panic-stricken announcements. If we are going to close the borders and the schools over potential deaths caused by swine flu, then by the same logic we should immediately close all highways in the country because being on the highway is the cause of tens of thousands of deaths every year. If people didn’t drive, then they wouldn’t be killed in accidents. So, close the roads and protect the people! Of course, that would be too logical. It makes much better news to panic the world with the imminent threat of the flu, real or imagined.
Have you ever wondered why we seem to spend so much time worrying about what might happen? The answer is not found in the penchant of news merchants for big headlines. The answer is found in a philosophy of life. You see, in the dominant philosophy of the Western world, the fundamental fact of life is that anything can happen to you! Life in this world is completely unpredictable. It is all at risk. Since the world is nothing more than the random interaction of particles in a vortex, you are subject to all kinds of forces beyond your control. You need to be afraid. After all, you might come in contact with someone who has the swine flu. Or you might be hit by a drunk driver, or a lightening bolt. You might lose your job or your retirement fund. You might have a heart attack or be audited by the IRS (they are roughly the same thing). Anything could happen to you. That’s why the Greek poet Theognis said:
Not to be born is the best of all things for those who live on earth, and not to gaze on the radiance of the keen-burning sun. Once born, however, it is best to pass with all possible speed through Hades’ gates and to lie beneath a great heap of earth.
If you’re Greek in your outlook on life, you will be afraid.
There is an alternative. God! If God is the Sovereign Ruler of the universe, the Creator of all that is and the Holy One of Israel, then the world is good because it was created good. Furthermore, since God is good, I live in a place where I can trust His actions. I know that He is in charge. Yes, there is swine flu. Yes, I should take reasonable precautions. God doesn’t provide me with immunity just because I want Him to. But He runs the show, not the news media. I do not have to fear any evil. I do not make my decisions about living on the basis of what might happen to me. I make my decisions on the basis of the trustworthiness of God. I am His servant. I do His bidding. If I get the swine flu, then I know that His purposes will be served in my illness. But I am not afraid. I will not be bullied into panic and bad decisions simply because the world thinks that this place is out of control and out to get me.
Being a Christian brings about a major re-adjustment toward the world. If you haven’t discovered that, maybe you need to be renewed in your thinking. It will help you avoid a lot of bad decisions.
Topical Index: fear, afraid, Sovereign Ruler, Psalm 23:4, evil
Well said, Skip!
Actually, Skip, God DOES provide the immunity to the swine flu and any other “ailment” that comes along. God put the most amazing power in the brain and nerve system that controls all other systems including the immune system. Now, it is up to us to assure that the nerve system remains unblocked and is working at 100% of the potential God put inside of us in order for the immune system and our defenses to be what they should be. A clear nerve system along with proper, consistent exercise (critical to a healthy immune system), a diet clear of toxins, hormones, steroids in our food, no sugar, etc. is also a vital part of our immune defenses. I agree with everything you said in principle, but God did not leave us defenseless. He does His part and we do ours and our immunity can fight anything from a cold, to cancer, to the “swine flu” just fine. 🙂
Romans 8:15 emphasizes the renewing of our minds through the Spirit of God and the Word which tells us to “fear not”. One of the “tricks of the trade” the world seeks to instill is fear. This fear is actually described as BONDAGE. We have been taught to think of it as common sense, to stay away from sickness, disease, filth etc. (I am not quite sure of what common sense is…isn’t that basically a cultural thing?) Didn’t The Master display another manner for our example? He touched lepers(HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS), he did not isolate Himself for fear of what might befall Him. He knew that His times were in the hand of the Father.
This is a most humbling teaching to realize that the gospel sets us free to serve our Father. In spite of the rationalizations and “logical ” presuppositions that have been ingrained in us from a world that is either in rebellion to or is not fully given over to His Lordship, we are called and chosen to submit to the King of our lives, the Author and Finsiher of our faith. Our longevity is secured in Him for eternity and is promised in spite of circumstances. Resorting to the world’s paralyzing fear can be overcome by the “fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom” Only God could help us overcome fear with fear!! (Romans 11:20)
‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Is. 41:10 Blessing
I am a small mission agency Board member (BEA Ministries) and I had the great privilege of traveling to Sao Paulo, Brasil back in 2005 to visit with, encourage and observe the ministries of our BEA missionaries on the field. If you know or have visited Sao Paulo, you know that it is an extremely dangerous place with lots of things to fear (e.g. car jackings, prison riots etc.).
An older missionary couple (Bill and Mary Fawcett – Bill serves as Sr. Pastor at Calvary Int’l Church in Sao Paulo) told me about an event that happened to them which has stuck with me and which not only is antithetical to living in a world of “fear” but actually, even goes beyond just the recognition of what Skip is relating to today in his devotional.
Everyone in Sao Paul takes precautions against criminal elements – you would be a fool not to. So getting immunized (or taking care of your body) for this or that flu might be expediently wise but the fact is that none of us are in control of what God might permit us to experience in this life regardless of our desire to minimize risks (e.g. Job). In Sao Paulo, everyone has gates, security, locks, driving while aware of your surroundings, neighborhood/street security guards etc. This was true for this missionary couple…but what they did was not to minimize risk and to still live in fear, but to think of a very BIG GOD.
When they moved into their “fortified” home, they not only asked for God’s protection over them, they also prayed and had the mind-set (renewed mind) that if God allowed them to be the subjects of a home invasion or a burglary, they knew that that person or persons (criminals) were only being allowed to invade their home by God’s sovereign will – God let them in, so to speak. Sure enough, on one occasion and despite all of the expedient wisdom of self-protection security systems in place, 3 heavily armed robbers got into this missionary couple’s home and held both of them and a visitor at gun point while they asked for material items to take (e.g. cash, jewelry etc.). Completely calm and knowing that these were “visitors” permitted to be in their home by God’s sovereign will, Bill and Mary all but warmly received them into their home and ultimately, even under such a stressful circumstance, witnessed to them – what these visitor criminals asked for they got and much more but what they never dreamed they would encounter was Christ!
These visitor criminals were ultimately apprehended and no one was harmed. Bill and Mary do not know what became of their “visitors” but I think the story tells us that “fear” is more about attempts to mitigate against things we cannot control and prevents us from being the true “sojourners” we are supposed to be in this life as we hold loosely to what we do not possess anyhow and as we witness for Him.
I learned much of this 6 years ago when I was diagnosed with a weird breast cancer. I had no family history and wasn’t even 40 yet. I had to know that even in cancer God was sovereign and had His purposes whether he shared them with me or not.
At home this has played out in how I pray for and with my children. I want them to know that God is in every part of their day, the good, the bad, all of it and because of His faithfulness they don’t have to be afraid. In the past as I prayed with them as they left in the morning I would ask for God’s protection of them, now I thank Him for being in what ever He has for their day.
This word is so very timely. Since my family heard that I’m going to be volunteering in Israel, they think that I’m being reckless. They tell me that it is one of the most dangerous places in the world, and why put yourself in danger deliberately?
I would answer something like, well you can be in a car accident any day, so does that mean I should stay off the roads?
But the right answer, shows my life is in His hands, I am not worried.
Jeremiah 29:11 ‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.