1.31.2018

On Deciding to NOT be like Chicken Little!


I had a weird dream this week [disclaimer: I'm not a dreamer in the sense that God is revealing something to me!]: 

In my dream, I was on the job at a terminal and I had forgotten how to use ISPF (an IBM technology that I haven't used for 20 years). I also had forgotten how to use IEBGENER (another IBM technology). In my dream I was in a fearful panic ... what a failure I was! 

Back when I was a pastor I occasionally had dreams about standing in the pulpit and having not prepared (this never happened - I was always prepared (not that every sermon was the proverbial home run!)) 

In January of 1986, I began using the New King James Version from the pulpit. I bought a very nice, real leather bound maroon Bible. That Bible is now 32 years old! Kathee carries it to church now. 

On Labor Day of 1987 I had a severe crippling accident: I broke my neck in a trampoline accident. I nearly died. On Thanksgiving Eve 1987 (11/25), I was discharged. Altogether I was hospitalized for 11½ weeks: 1 week in intensive care, a little more than a week in another neuro-trauma unit and 9 weeks at a rehabilitation hospital. 

I saw and experienced much during that time. I had a lot of questions: would I ever walk again? Would my fingers and limbs ever move again? What would my future be like? Another pastor visited me weekly and was a tremendous encouragement to me. I tearfully poured out my fears to him and he succored me through the Word of God. Kathee was by my side daily and recorded two verses that he shared with me (these are on the flyleaf on my Bible):



Perhaps, dear reader, you've heard my good news:

So I've received some good news ... a reprieve of sorts ... great! Now what?

Well there is always something else to fear: Now it's Fear of Cancer Recurrence. What if that cancer monster comes back?!

I observe that the Christian (I'm talking to myself now!) is called to live confidently with a positive disposition about what God will do with his my life!

Paul had that confidence:



Living confidently is a choice - Really believing, TRUSTING the God who saved us! [If I can trust Him with my soul, surely I can trust Him with my body!]



The Chicken Little story is really the ancient Henny Penny story. Versions of the story go back more than 25 centuries. It's almost as old as human history! 

There's another type of fear in the Scriptures and that is fearing the Lord. I'm not going to develop now, but just cite one verse:



There will always be some boogeyman in the darkness to scare us: what if I lose my job? What if I fail in my job (my dream in the first paragraph!)? What if cancer comes back?!

I may not always be as confident as I am at this moment, but my Lord has never let me down! He has met every need and cared for every care! Today I resolve to live confidently and rest in His assurances. May these verses comfort you as they do me!



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