"For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption." (Romans 8:15, NRSV)
My son is five years old. In so many different ways he is becoming a little man right before my eyes. With great courage and an emboldened spirit, he is not afraid to climb fences, squeeze into tight places, hoist himself up into a tree, or dangle from the highest point on the swingset. He has little fear of these things and does more daredevil stunts than even I am aware of.
My son is five years old. In so many ways he has much growing up to do. Thunder and lightning are his worst enemy. There is a deeply rooted fear in him that dictates he get out of bed at the slightest rumble of thunder and climb into my bed. He requires medical attention from the smallest of cuts and scrapes, and he often gets it. He is genuinely afraid of many things in his little world because he does not understand them or even know what they are.
I cannot explain the phenomenon that is my son. He will, without hesitation climb to the top of our fence, but will run into my arms if he sees the flash of lightning in the sky. Perhaps part of it is that there is a spirit of adventure that lives inside him and gives him the courage he needs to do those crazy stunts. He knows what happens when he climbs the fence and he knows what happens when he climbs to the top of the swingset. Sure, he falls sometimes, and provided his injuries are genuinely bad, he usually gets right back up and does it again. He wants to make it happen. He wants to get to the top and then show the world what he has done! But in that same day, when the rain and clouds come in, and thunder begins to roll across the sky, he runs into my arms and seeks protection from Dad. There is something great, powerful, and unknown about this in his mind. It scares him and I am his safe zone.
God has called us to be people of courage. In Romans, Paul writes that the Spirit we have received from God is not a spirit of fear, but a spirit of adoption. In other words, we are God's children. We are a part of His family. He has empowered us with the ability to speak boldly in His name. In 2 Corinthians 5 Paul says that because we know God, because we are in relationship with Him, we can and should speak boldly in order to bring more people to the saving grace of Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians 16:13, Paul tells us to "be men of courage" and to "be strong." Nowhere in Scripture does God tell us to operate with a spirit of fear. The only fear we have is a fear of God and this translates into a boldness that brings glory to His name.
We have been climbing to the top of swingsets and fences for many years. We have it figured out and we like to look around and see who has noticed what we have done. We stand proudly on the highest peak of the swingset and glory in the accomplishments of our past. But, when the wind and rain begin to set in and the thunder crashes and the lightning strikes, we hunker down with fear and anxiety. God says, do not be afraid for I am with you! Get back on the top of that swingset and show me you can do it when the rain is coming down and when the lightning is striking! Then, God will calm the storm of testing and trial and make way for sunshine, new growth, and blessing.
My son is five years old. In so many ways he has much growing up to do. Thunder and lightning are his worst enemy. There is a deeply rooted fear in him that dictates he get out of bed at the slightest rumble of thunder and climb into my bed. He requires medical attention from the smallest of cuts and scrapes, and he often gets it. He is genuinely afraid of many things in his little world because he does not understand them or even know what they are.
I cannot explain the phenomenon that is my son. He will, without hesitation climb to the top of our fence, but will run into my arms if he sees the flash of lightning in the sky. Perhaps part of it is that there is a spirit of adventure that lives inside him and gives him the courage he needs to do those crazy stunts. He knows what happens when he climbs the fence and he knows what happens when he climbs to the top of the swingset. Sure, he falls sometimes, and provided his injuries are genuinely bad, he usually gets right back up and does it again. He wants to make it happen. He wants to get to the top and then show the world what he has done! But in that same day, when the rain and clouds come in, and thunder begins to roll across the sky, he runs into my arms and seeks protection from Dad. There is something great, powerful, and unknown about this in his mind. It scares him and I am his safe zone.
God has called us to be people of courage. In Romans, Paul writes that the Spirit we have received from God is not a spirit of fear, but a spirit of adoption. In other words, we are God's children. We are a part of His family. He has empowered us with the ability to speak boldly in His name. In 2 Corinthians 5 Paul says that because we know God, because we are in relationship with Him, we can and should speak boldly in order to bring more people to the saving grace of Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians 16:13, Paul tells us to "be men of courage" and to "be strong." Nowhere in Scripture does God tell us to operate with a spirit of fear. The only fear we have is a fear of God and this translates into a boldness that brings glory to His name.
We have been climbing to the top of swingsets and fences for many years. We have it figured out and we like to look around and see who has noticed what we have done. We stand proudly on the highest peak of the swingset and glory in the accomplishments of our past. But, when the wind and rain begin to set in and the thunder crashes and the lightning strikes, we hunker down with fear and anxiety. God says, do not be afraid for I am with you! Get back on the top of that swingset and show me you can do it when the rain is coming down and when the lightning is striking! Then, God will calm the storm of testing and trial and make way for sunshine, new growth, and blessing.
Comments
Post a Comment