By Pastor William Y. K. Brown Ph.D
(Resident Pastor)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Osu-Bethel.
Tel: 0244165628/0243310773.
wykbrown@gmail.com
THURSDAY
THEME: WHY ARE YOU SO FEARFUL?
SCRIPTURE: Mark 4:40
“But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”
REFLECTIONS
Fear is a concept that has been extensively addressed throughout the Holy Scriptures. From Genesis to Revelation, we come across Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus Christ, the God-man (John 1:1,14; Matthew 1:21,23), has consistently given us hope to avert fear. Fear is entirely contrary to the life and character of Jesus Christ and should be for all believers. No disciple is to entertain fear whatever the circumstances may be because He says in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” “Be of good cheer,” implies rejoicing, praise, a shout of encouragement, faith, confidence, hope, optimism, and poise. In this context, no follower of Jesus should be fearful. Fear instead exposes the level and maturity of our faith.
Being a disciple also implies learning from the Master. Unfortunately, many disciples of Christ have not mastered the art of keeping hope, faith, and optimism alive. They are short-changed by fear. People’s blood pressures keep rising due to fear when, in reality, in Christ, there should be no fear. John Mark writes in Mark 4:35-41 on an incident involving Jesus Christ and His disciples. One evening, as Jesus and His disciples crossed to the other side, a storm caused so much panic and fear to the disciples while Jesus was deeply asleep. The contrast was that the disciples feared and struggled while Jesus slept soundly and calmly, undisturbed by the storm. The sad part is that during the intense struggle, the disciples forgot Jesus was with them, asleep. It was not until they were overcome by the waves, wasted energy and time, that they called on the Lord for help.
In a panic mode, the disciples “awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Jesus’ reaction was first to take care of the problem and calm the nerves, so He spoke to His creation, “rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” Wherever Jesus is and abides, there is perfect calm and peace. After saving and restoring hope, He posed heart-searching questions to them: “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” The questions are insightful and thought-provoking. Can you walk with the Lord and still be fearful and claim to be a believer? If you have fear as a Christian, what is the foundation and merit of your faith? Who is your God, and whom do you worship? Countless times, the Lord has encouraged us not to fear; if we still fear, our faith is ineffective.
Beloved, what makes you afraid? Why are you so fearful? Is it lack of faith, seemingly unanswered prayers or delays, family challenges, trouble-causing colleagues at work or school, unemployment, financial stress, impending retrenchment, loss of business, indebtedness, failure, personal attitude, deprivation, looming disaster, etc.? Today, Jesus poses the question to you and expects you to calm down and wait on Him. Your faith in Christ should carry you through the challenges and struggles you experience daily. Faith in Christ is the panacea for our fear. Beloved, do not let fear dampen your spirit. If you do, you will sadden the heart of your Lord, who has promised to be with you always (Matthew 28:20). For strength of faith, pray and leave the rest in Jesus’ hands. He will act in His time; fear not!
MY SONG OF COMMITMENT
SDAH 99 – “God Will Take Care of You”
LET US PRAY
– Praise and thank God for His abiding presence; thank the Lord Jesus for giving you hope in fearful moments; pray to overcome fear by your faith in Christ;
– Pray for believers who are struggling with the storms of life to hold on to Christ; by name, pray for individuals, families, neighbors, and acquaintances who are fearful for some reason;
– Pray for people in disaster-struck areas of the world, displaced people, people living in fear under the threat of war and terrorism; pray for countries preparing for elections this year;
– Pray for the peace, security, and prosperity of the nation, people living with autism, and their families, caregivers, older people, and palliative caregivers; pray for someone who has hurt you recently.
