Rest Assured that God is Near This Year {Words of Life Wednesdays: Link-up}

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What if 2014 is the year? 

Really. What if? 

What if this is the last year you have here?

If this is it, how do you want to live your remaining days?

Does that make you want to live life full or tremble in fear?

We're 15 days in to 2014 and I can't seem to get that thought out of my head. I don't really mean it in a morbid kind of way, although I admit it might sound it. So let me give you a little background.

We were playing an enthusiastic game of Settlers of Catan with some friends within the first week of this year. After we all lost by the youngest player, we packed the game up and the adults sat back down at the table and stirred up conversation on life, church, family, and stuff of that sort. I don't exactly recall the topic on hand, but it was mentioned that someone knew someone who was not looking forward to this year for she was sure it would be her last. I assumed that meant she was quite young, but as it turned out she had lived a long life already.

I was a little surprised, to be honest. Before I thought, the words slipped out and I was speaking my raw opinion that if I was ever to live that long I think I should be more than glad to move on.

Then, I think of how I named my year, "With"

How many of us could say, "Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord."


So, what if 2014 was it for you?

I have a feeling many of us might fear it for there seems to be a lot of fear talk. I guess I assumed I was one of the few that struggled with fear, but from what I've been learning, if this is the year that so many are saying this is the year of no fear, then a whole lot of us must be struggling with a whole lot of fear.

An old Bible teacher of mine, then my boss, then my brother's father-in-law, is an excellent Bible teacher and preacher. He can crack the Bible open and exegete a passage like he's digging golden nuggets of truth right off the gilded page. I'll never forget how he said it when he was delivering a sermon on Jacob one Sunday morning a couple of years ago.  He preached it to make you want to plant your feet right into the truth of this: "The antidote to fear is the assurance of God's presence."

And I  keep preaching it to myself. Especially this year I've called "With'.

He is with me. I have no need to fear.

The Word who was with God, who is God, became flesh that He might dwell right among us.

I don't need to be controlled by fear, when I am assured that He is with me. When I believe this, I can be controlled by his love. When I am controlled by the love of Christ, I can live life to the fullest.

Like Jim Elliot, who was controlled by the love of God and obviously not fear. Although in his humanness, he must have known fear when faced by the Auca Indians, it was the love of God that compelled him to spread the glorious Gospel to the point of sacrificing his own life.

{If you are not familiar with the Auca Indians, take twenty minutes to be amazed at the grace of God. 

These five men were all killed on January 8th and buried 6 days later in 1956 by the Auca Indians,
who eventually came to know the love of Christ.}

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We don't know what 2014 will bring. As the sun rises and sets each day perhaps you need to heed the advice of the missionary martyr: 

"Wherever you are, be all there. 
Live to the hilt of every situation you believe to be the will of God."
(J. Elliot)

We do not need to fear what may transpire this year, if we believe our Gentle Shepherd is lovingly leading us with Him. He goes before us. He is with us.

2014 is not only the year to refuse fear but to rest assured that He is near.

"For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain."

When death has lost its sting, what do we think we have to fear anyway?

Stop living in fear. 

Start believing He is near.

{"Pray Girls. I'm sure this is the day,"
The wives of the five missionary men that were martyred for the gospel
 by the Auca Indians poignantly share what it was like to walk on trusting. 
"He wants us to trust him."}

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