Slow to Learn

Moses may have been slow in speech, but I am slow to learn.  Mom asked me to reteach a lesson I taught in the fall of 2009 on "Fear Not, I am With You."  I guess I didn't get it the first time, or else I really need to hear it again. Mostly what I find when I teach is that I am not finding out great insights that someone else needs, but rather insights that I need for my own growth. I guess that doesn't say  much on my growth over the past few years.

I still fight fears....fear of something happening to one of my children, fear of finances, fear of fire, fear of moving, fear of change and the list goes on.   One of the things I have been reminded of is this: when we fear we are saying two things, "God I don't trust you" and "I don't accept your providence in my life."

Jerry Bridges says this, "For me I have come to the conclusion that my anxiety is triggered not so much by a distrust in God as by an unwillingness to submit to and cheerfully accept His agenda for me."

Oh I love my agenda and fear His. What kind of pain and heartache or joy and pleasure could it mean?  I guess that is just it, I fear the unknown.  The great commitment that He has made though is that He will be With us! He will be with me, whether good or bad, joyful or sorrowful.   Fear Not, I am with You.  I loved what I read this week:  God's answer to fear is not an argument or a formula. It's a person.  God himself is the final answer to every fear of the human heart.

The hymn that has been running through my head is How Firm a Foundation (and being the good Baptist that I am, I only know 4 of the 7 verses :) )!


How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said
Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?

"Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

"When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply.
The flames shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.

"The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no never, no never, forsake!"