Fear Not!

It’s crazy how fast the weather can change around here.  I may have told of my first experience with this amazing phenomenon when we originally moved here to attend Bible School.  We’d only been here a few months when I arrived at my job, one clear, bright sunny Saturday morning in the outside Garden Department at the Home Depot in the early fall of 2006. 

I was dressed in my standard work apparel of shorts, a collared Polo shirt, hiking boots and the mandatory bright orange apron.  When the first cashier came out and we opened up the outside gates to the Garden Department around 8:00 AM, the gal looked at me like I was a little on the daffy side!  I thought that she was just being funny and finally asked her if there was a problem, to which she replied… “Why are you wearing shorts?  You’re gonna freeze in a little while?”

She could tell that her comment confused me, so she proceeded to tell that there was a cold front coming in.  I kind of laughed it off as it was warm and the sky was a deep blue… until about an hour later when I noticed this darkness coming up the horizon to the north of the store… but I still didn’t think much about it… after all… it couldn’t move THAT fast could it?  Well… it could and it did and within an hour I was freezing! 

After that day I always kept a sweater and/or a jacket in my locker!  In the next six months, I also learned that the same… if not worse… can happen with the coming of heavy rain, thunder and lightning or a snowstorm.  One minute it is clear and the next, a storm blows in and with the snap of your fingers the deluge is upon you!

And that is the way it has been over the last few days.  They’ve been forecasting a strong winter storm, but the severity of the storm system has been in constant fluctuation.  When I went to bed last night it was supposed to start raining within a matter of minutes, with snow following by the early morning hours.

When I got up, it had rained but there was no snow and the predicted all morning and afternoon snow had changed to a 50% chance for a few hours in the early afternoon.  As I look outside my large study window right now, at about 11:50 AM, I notice that there are snow flurries blowing across the golf course and through our cul-de-sac.  I just checked my local weather app and they upped the chances of snow to 80-90% for the next few hours! 

So… maybe we’ll get enough of the white stuff for Fiver to play in.  This looks to be a quick front and the weather is supposed to warm up into the 50’s on Monday… Which means, this fair-weather California boy will get just enough of a taste to enjoy… and then be back to dry weather again… until the next surprise comes up!

One important lesson that I have learned during my time living in the south, combining our five years in North Carolina and our overall five years in Oklahoma… so far… is to keep my wits when the different severe weather threats come on the scene, trust the Lord for His protection, and listen attentively to that inner voice to hear what He wants us to do!

It kind of reminds me of Jesus’ encouragement to the leader of the Jewish Synagogue Jairus, when he came to Jesus requesting Him to come to his home and heal his sick and near-death daughter.  If you recall the story in Luke chapter eight, you’ll remember that Jesus headed for Jairus’ house, but stopped along the way to heal another sick woman who had literally crawled in faith, through the crowd, in order to touch the hem of Jesus’ clothing.

I’m sure that Jairus was getting more than just a little anxious at the interruption and was most likely on the verge of completely losing it when someone from his house came and told him, “Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.”

But take note of how Jesus responded to the negative report.  He totally ignored the messenger and spoke directly to Jairus saying, “Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.” (Luke 8:49-50 – KJV) 

“FEAR NOT!  BELIEVE ONLY!”  Now that’s a personal moniker that I have taken upon myself… especially in these last fifteen years.  I’ve come to learn that things tend to work out best for me when I take Jesus’ advice and not allow myself to fall into the trap of fear… in WHATEVER I am doing, or with any situation I need to deal with, at any given point in time.

And when I am standing in faith for a particular purpose, I’ve learned to follow Jesus’ instructions and not listen to the voice of reason or even natural fact… when it is contrary to God’s Word.  But instead, I reject the encroachment of fear and keep my faith in the supernatural, over-riding truth of the Word of God, in connection for whatever outcome I am believing for.

That way of life has helped me to adjust to the occasional severe weather patterns out here that were non-existent in California… and learn to enjoy this area for its unique beauty and the special benefits of the southern lifestyle, country hospitality, conservative values and the noticeably more relaxed approach to life.

And when God’s EXTRA-Ordinary intervention is needed in my life… I like Jairus, have also learned to listen to Jesus’ advice, to not entertain fear and to keep believing for God’s Word to do what He has promised us that it will do in the lives of us who actively “FEAR NOT and ONLY BELIEVE!”

Have a great weekend!  Stay warm and keep EXPECTING God’s best in your life!