February 2011

 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)

Fear. For as long as God determines it necessary that we dwell in this frail flesh, fear will represent an unfortunate and yet unavoidable part of our earthly lives. There are going to be those times in our lives when we fear… for our  loved ones, for our health, for our safety, for our relationships, for our livelihoods… and the list goes on and on. And yet, as Christians, should do we fear? The Apostle Paul reminds us in his letter to the Philippians that “the Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything” (Philippians 4:5b, 6a)… in other words, don’t worry!

Our Lord Jesus Christ repeatedly offered these words of comfort to those who were distressed, “don’t be afraid, just believe,” (Mark 5:36, Luke 8:50). Just believe…. that God has acted decisively in Christ to rescue us from the perils of sin and death. We do… and yet, because we remain under attack by the devil, the world and our own weak flesh, these things that oppose us work to produce fear in our hearts….  and this is the very fear that opposes our faith in Christ. Because of fear, we can feel alone. Fear… it makes us wonder if God really understands how helpless we sometimes feel… when we feel as though we’re standing all alone and in desperate need of some comfort.

God understands… and the upcoming season of Lent presents us with indisputable evidence regarding the full extent of God’s understanding when it comes to matters of true loneliness. We look no further than to the evidence as it is presented to us in the portrait of our Suffering Savior. I encourage you to spend a few moments reading the 53^rd chapter of Isaiah. Then consider the extent of Jesus’ loneliness as He hung dying upon the cross. There would be no comfort for our Lord and Redeemer at Calvary. As Jesus took the penalty for all of our sins upon Himself, He willingly gave His life in love for sinners, sinners who would repeatedly reject Him. Jesus gave His life in love for sinners who make all sorts of excuses for their repeated failures to put God’s Word first in their lives… and yes, you know where I’m going with this… Jesus gave His life in love for you and me. 

Do you want to know what it’s like to be alone? Think about your Redeemer. Jesus would be left to the loneliness of the cross so that you and I would never have to experience the loneliness of an eternity without God. Without the shedding of Jesus’ holy and innocent blood, your sin would have left you forever standing alone…  in that place reserved for the eternally condemned, a place of unending loneliness and despair. But thanks be to God, who would love us too much to leave us all alone. Look to the cross, and there be reminded that God is always with you. When it comes to the matter of your eternal salvation, God has given you His Word, and that Word was made flesh for you.  Through that Word and water, He has given you His Holy Spirit. Through that Word and bread and wine, He gives you the very body and blood of His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. God fulfills His promises to you through His precious means of grace; God strengthens you and sustains you until this life’s end.  Don’t neglect this great salvation. Take full advantage of these holy gifts each and every Sunday. There is no substitute for what God provides you in His Holy House. Hear His words and take them to heart this day, “Be strong and courageous, do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

Pastor Bruce