Our Fears and the Resurrection
We were coming into Panama after having flown from Monterey, Ca airport on a C-5 . The seats were nets . I thought , “ is this what war is like?” It was Christmas 1989 a few days before and the 7th Infantry Division was mobilized to liberate Panama from Manuel Noriega. The unit I was in was called light infantry, “ The Wolfhounds.” Then we were supposed to be landing into a hostile zone or so it was said. I was thinking, “ it sure would be nice to be home for Christmas “. Someone from the S1 shop ( the administrative headquarters) said they forgot to load the guns with bullets. This is when I thought of the verse from Hebrews 12:5 “ ..he has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
What is making you fearful? What are you and I afraid of? It is certainly difficult to do certain things that we do not want to do. One of those things is flying. That being said, I know some of you have told me that you like to fly. Good for you! I am not one of those people. There seem to be a lot of things that could go wrong on an airplane. Even getting into the thing is difficult enough with going through an intrusive security process and then waiting again in a passenger area. In Germany they built such an area without bathrooms so to go to that you had to give them your passport and re-enter. Putting our lives in the hands of others is difficult. I imagine that some of have felt very alone in our lives in certain times. There are some things we have to go through by ourselves and they produce a certain feeling of loneliness as we go through them. We may even feel that God has abandoned us and really has nothing to do with what we are going through.
In Psalm 23, David wrote the words, “ The LORD is my shepherd” when he was being chased by his own son, Abasalom, who had an army, so it was a wartime experience. It was David recalling through the Holy Spirit’s inspiration that God indeed was keeping him in His hands. David had been a shepherd and he knew that in the hands of a good shepherd the sheep were safe from harm . The Psalm of the Good Shepherd is often read at funerals and this is a time when we need to know that our loved ones are still safe in the hands of God. He has led us just like a Shepherd in the days we enjoy in the green pastures and the still waters. Today’s Gospel lesson tells us that Jesus is the Good Shepherd of His people. He stooped to our level and even gave His life for us ,” the good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” 10:11
I imagine that many of us are wondering what Easter and the resurrection of Jesus has to do with our current lives. Or is that just for our comfort for death? Acts 4 told us that because of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead the lame man was healed. “ Be it known unto you all…that by the name of Jesus of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him does this man stand before you whole.” 4:10 Does the resurrection of Jesus mean anything for today? If Jesus is alive then we can have a relationship with Him and that relationship is something we can lean on now in our little things and big things, and for the life to come. He is our Saviour, our Friend, our Companion and our Guide.
I received a little plaque from I believe my grandfather when I was about nine years old of a sailor which you may have seen steering the ship in a storm and behind him is Jesus His Pilot. I have never forgotten that image. We have to hold on to that in our situations that overwhelm us. We have to hold on to the fact that God really does have a plan for us and the random events and even our fears are all there in His hands.
So we can really yield ourselves into those hands that will never let us go. He has said, “ I will never leave you or forsake you.” So why are we so fearful and troubled ? We may say there are some things that even God would not understand. But I think He does. He said that “ we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:14. The Lord is my Shepherd. Jesus said, “ I am the good Shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.” John 10:14
And God is working all things for my good and His glory. Romans 8:28 despite how they look to me. Despite how abandoned I may feel and how lonely I may feel we can know that Jesus went there before us. On the cross He said, “ My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46 My fears are really loneliness for God. ( Ogilivie) We can claim His promise that He will never leave me or forsake me. What is keeping us from giving ourselves into His hands? As our host in Psalm 23, we read, “ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou annointest my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”
What is making you fearful? What are you and I afraid of? It is certainly difficult to do certain things that we do not want to do. One of those things is flying. That being said, I know some of you have told me that you like to fly. Good for you! I am not one of those people. There seem to be a lot of things that could go wrong on an airplane. Even getting into the thing is difficult enough with going through an intrusive security process and then waiting again in a passenger area. In Germany they built such an area without bathrooms so to go to that you had to give them your passport and re-enter. Putting our lives in the hands of others is difficult. I imagine that some of have felt very alone in our lives in certain times. There are some things we have to go through by ourselves and they produce a certain feeling of loneliness as we go through them. We may even feel that God has abandoned us and really has nothing to do with what we are going through.
In Psalm 23, David wrote the words, “ The LORD is my shepherd” when he was being chased by his own son, Abasalom, who had an army, so it was a wartime experience. It was David recalling through the Holy Spirit’s inspiration that God indeed was keeping him in His hands. David had been a shepherd and he knew that in the hands of a good shepherd the sheep were safe from harm . The Psalm of the Good Shepherd is often read at funerals and this is a time when we need to know that our loved ones are still safe in the hands of God. He has led us just like a Shepherd in the days we enjoy in the green pastures and the still waters. Today’s Gospel lesson tells us that Jesus is the Good Shepherd of His people. He stooped to our level and even gave His life for us ,” the good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” 10:11
I imagine that many of us are wondering what Easter and the resurrection of Jesus has to do with our current lives. Or is that just for our comfort for death? Acts 4 told us that because of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead the lame man was healed. “ Be it known unto you all…that by the name of Jesus of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him does this man stand before you whole.” 4:10 Does the resurrection of Jesus mean anything for today? If Jesus is alive then we can have a relationship with Him and that relationship is something we can lean on now in our little things and big things, and for the life to come. He is our Saviour, our Friend, our Companion and our Guide.
I received a little plaque from I believe my grandfather when I was about nine years old of a sailor which you may have seen steering the ship in a storm and behind him is Jesus His Pilot. I have never forgotten that image. We have to hold on to that in our situations that overwhelm us. We have to hold on to the fact that God really does have a plan for us and the random events and even our fears are all there in His hands.
So we can really yield ourselves into those hands that will never let us go. He has said, “ I will never leave you or forsake you.” So why are we so fearful and troubled ? We may say there are some things that even God would not understand. But I think He does. He said that “ we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:14. The Lord is my Shepherd. Jesus said, “ I am the good Shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.” John 10:14
And God is working all things for my good and His glory. Romans 8:28 despite how they look to me. Despite how abandoned I may feel and how lonely I may feel we can know that Jesus went there before us. On the cross He said, “ My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46 My fears are really loneliness for God. ( Ogilivie) We can claim His promise that He will never leave me or forsake me. What is keeping us from giving ourselves into His hands? As our host in Psalm 23, we read, “ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou annointest my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”
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