The Seventh Week of Easter: From FEAR to LIFE
STEP ONE: BREATHE
Take a deep, cleansing breath. Allow the air to fill your lungs and expand your body. Exhale and empty yourself into the room. Repeat three times - once for the one who Created you, once for the Incarnate One who walks beside you, and once for the Spirit whose life fills your being.
STEP TWO: DWELL IN WORD
“When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
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FEAR NOT - Before we go…
As the season of Easter and this devotional come to a close, each of the pastor writers share some parting thoughts.
“Sharing has helped my anxiety and fears - reminding others of our hope in the midst of a fearful situation has helped me. So I encourage you to encourage others in your life. The songs I have recorded to share with you are pretty much paged from my journal. I appreciate the opportunity to open my heart to you all as we walk this strange new road together. I don’t know most of you - but I love you. Peace.””
“In season 4 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer their Halloween themed episode is called Fear, Itself. The main characters find themselves trapped in a house, separated from each other and facing their worst fears. All of this is driven by an unseen but menacing fear demon. Anxiety continues to increase. Near the end of episode Buffy and her friends finally expose the fear demon. I anticipated it would be this 7 foot tall, with a deep, shiver inducing voice. Instead, the fear demon was about three apples tall with a high, squeaky voice. Buffy squashes it with her foot.
This episode has been in the back of my mind as we’ve been reflecting on fear and faith for the sake of these devotions. We all have fears - and one person’s fear might leave another person laughing. (Anya feared bunnies.) We all also let our fears grow out of proportion. However our fears only have as much power as we let them have. For me, imagining my worst fears as embodied in that small creature with a squeaky voice, never fails to help - particularly when I crush it.
With God all things are possible, including gaining perspective and putting fear in its place. It’s my hope these Easter season devotions have helped you to do just that.””
“One of my favorite Bible verses is found in the small letter of 2 Timothy 1:7: For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (NKJV Translation). Fear is not a bad thing. It can “keep us on our toes” and cause us to focus on what is really important in our lives…family, friends, community and our faith community. As noted over the past seven weeks, this pandemic has caused fear of one kind or another in all of us. However, through it all we have heard the Good News that God has given us the Holy Spirit, a Spirit of power and love and a sound mind. That Spirit, which we received at our baptism, will never go away. We are “sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever” as our baptismal liturgy declares. Therefore we know fear will never have the last word. The power of God, love and our ability to reason and think will prevail. That Gospel truth gives us hope and courage to face the unknown future. It is our hope that you have experienced the presence and power of Spirit over the seven weeks of these devotions. Fear not!””
“What a wonderful journey we have been on together this Easter season! I have enjoyed the opportunity to think through these scripture passages using the lenses of fear and trust. Getting into the characters’ minds and thinking through their lead-up or follow-through from these experiences has been revelatory for me, and I hope for you as well. Thank you for engaging these stories with me, and with all the writers!
There is one thought, though, that keeps running through my mind as we move forward from this time together. We have talked much about this being a move from fear to something (fear to light, fear to worth, fear to friendship, fear to beloved, etc.), but I think it’s more difficult than just an either/or choice. We often want to think of courage, or faith, as the absence of fear, but it’s not as easy as setting down our fears and receiving something new instead. Often with fear it’s not that we leave it behind, but more that we move on even while experiencing fear. One does not have to have left behind all fear to have faith – rather, faith means moving forward in trust even while we are experiencing fear.
Most of all, know that whatever you feel as you move forward – whether you move forward in perfect trust or whether you are still fighting with the same old fears – Jesus moves with you. Feeling fear, or even being declared unfaithful, was never something that removed Christ’s presence from those in our stories. And nothing can separate you from the love of Christ for you either. Blessings as you journey!””
“A few weeks ago I heard a person say: “God wouldn’t give me more than I could handle.” Now, I don’t want to discredit the words that people say. they speak out of faith... trying to make sense of senseless situations. They’re perhaps using the only words they have at that moment.
That night, I lay in bed thinking... Did God give us Covid-19 because God knew we could handle it? Does God work that way, cavalierly meting out pain and suffering?
I think the answer is ‘no.” God won’t give us more pain, suffering, and loss than we could handle… God couldn’t. God loves us too much.
But the world can. The world can give us, and does give us, more than we can handle. It happens every day at a bedside somewhere, when the doctor tells a patient that nothing more can be done about her cancer. Or the virus. Or when one hears the words: “There’s been a terrible accident” or “I regret to inform you that your child was killed in the line of duty.”
The world often gives us more than we can handle in the form of a layoff notice, a rejection letter, divorce papers, or even a retirement statement showing that the funds you depend on for the rest of your life have depreciated 40% because the stock market just tanked.
God does not give us more than we can handle. God gives us peace and understanding, courage and conviction, and most of all, the faith we need to handle the things that the world gives us. So fear not. God is with you. Peace.” ”
“As the FEAR NOT devotional series concludes, deep gratitude fills my heart. It has been a tremendous journey that I will long remember. Amid pandemic fears, anxieties, and fatigue, this collaborative effort has provided light, inspiration, comfort, and hope. I know that this is true because of the many kind comments that we received throughout this Easter season. Closer to home, I know it is true because I have also been the recipient of these things. FEAR NOT has been a great gift to me for which I need to say, “thank you.”
My appreciation goes to two groups. The first is my talented colleagues. Thank you, friends, for sharing your talents. A pastor’s work never seems to be completed and rarely is light. Yet, you each found the time to collaborate on this project. You freely gave words and music that were treasures to me. Not only that, but our weekly writer’s meeting brought needed joy and laughter. As Douglas Adams in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy writes, “...thanks for all the fish!” Seriously, your friendship and companionship have brought me insight and courage to face my fears.
The second group of folks for which I’m thankful involves everyone who took the time to read that we had to offer. Some of you read them first thing at the start of your day over a cup of coffee. Others read a couple at a time, a few times a week. We had a bunch of subscribers since Easter Sunday, while a few joined us along the way. No matter when you joined our devotional party, I am glad you decided to come along. Thank you for opening, clicking, reading, liking, and commenting. Your response was tremendous. I know that I speak for the rest of the FEAR NOT writers when I say that you gave us the needed encouragement to stay at our task. Thank you!””
STEP THREE: PRAY
Gracious God, shine into the fear-filled places of this world. Where there is hatred, embolden love to take a stand. Where loneliness languishes allow friendship to bloom. Where hardship bottoms out lift up spirits with hope. Help us to claim the truth of Easter and fear not. Through the Risen Christ, amen.
Today’s prayer is by Pastor Walt Lichtenberger