As we have read through the Scriptures we have been confronted with a common human emotion: fear. In fact, it is not only common to historical characters, it is common to us as well. Is it not?
In Genesis 32 we see that Jacob is overcome with fear. After years of being separated from his brother, from whom he stole the birthright and blessing, about whom he had heard had intent to kill him, he was now going to be rejoined. I am sure at this moment many questions filled Jacob's mind.
What would his brother do? Would he still be angry? Was there a way to assuage his anger? What would happen to his family and all that he owned? Jacob was confronted with a situation that was "unknown" and "out of his control" thus leading to his fear.
That is the usual recipe for fear. Circumstances come our way leaving us out of control and wrestling with the uncertainties of the future. And we must admit, we don't like that! Have you ever wondered why?
I think part of the answer is that ever since the Fall we try to be our own God. We show this by our tendency to want to know all (thus removing the uncertainty) and to control all. We live our lives trying to get everything to go the way we want it to go. But inevitably we fail. Life becomes too much for us, and the fears come rushing in.
That was Jacob's experience at this moment, but I love the way he recovered from it. Did you notice what he did? He lifted his eyes toward God. He looked to the One reality that is grander than any circumstance that can come our way (I think that is what it means to fear the Lord), and he prayed. And his prayed is instructive, for in it he named his fear, he admitted his unworthiness, and he clung to the promises of God. You might say that he took his rightful place in the universe (under His God) and in doing so, his fears began to subside.
On this earth we all will be subject to fear. When confronted with circumstances that are too big for us, too hard for us to control, where there are too many unknowns, we may begin to fear. But if we train ourselves to respond as Jacob did, looking to the Lord, seeing His grandeur, admitting our weakness, laying down our lives to His control, we will find our fears melting away in trust.
Someone has said that fear is like a warning light on the dashboard of our lives. When it goes off it tells us that something is wrong. That something often is in our thinking, but when we readjust our thoughts moving them off ourselves and the circumstance, and placing them back on our God, we can know the peace that passes all understanding.
May God use our fears to teach us today that in the fear of God there is an uncommon peace even in the midst of the storm.
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