No Fear, No Panic, No Dread

The reason I think a lot of people don't read or understand the New Testament is because it seems to be about things that have nothing to do with us today.  For example, there are so many different laws to follow about finding someone's ox or donkey gone astray, that it really doesn't seem to relate to most people (though, oddly, we can relate!)  So how do you read it then? 

I believe we are supposed to look for general principles that can be drawn out of these types of passages.  I was joking with my husband yesterday that we need "cities of refuge" for our children.  In Deuteronomy these are cities that a person can run to if they accidently murder someone so that they can be protected from the avenger.  Murder doesn't happen every day in our home, though they do "murder" with their words sometimes, but someone nearly always gets hurt "accidently" by a brother or a sister and boy oh boy, do they ever run to one of us for protection from the avenger!  I said, "We need cities of refuge for our kids!"  (One 5 year old in particular, that is....)  Though, I hardly think he does it by accident, most of the time....so perhaps a bedroom of refuge or a dad's office of refuge......

I'm joking of course, but as I read, for example, "Laws Concerning Warfare" in Deuteronomy chapter 20,  I realize most of us won't be going to war in the next day or two, but then again, aren't we?  I go to war daily!  I go to war against my flesh.  I go to war against our debt.  I go to war against Satan who wants me to daily lose it on my kids!  I go to war against wrong emotions......and so on and so on......As I read the passage then, all of a sudden, it comes to life!  Now I'm reading it as a wife and mother and I start to picture all the wars I'm in.

Chapter 20 begins like this,

"When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.  And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people and shall say to them, 'Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for the battle against your enemies:  let not your heart faint,.  Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them, for the Lord your God is He who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.'"

Immediately I underlined the whole passage and double-underlined the words, DO NOT FEAR OR PANIC OR BE IN DREAD OF THEM!   Why?  Because that is often what I feel when I'm about to do battle.

My husband is working on a project right now.  He's really excited about it, but my initial reaction is to wonder how things will go.  So immediately I insert the phrase from the Bible, "No fear, no panic, no dread."  Suddenly my perspective changes and I can be excited with him!

One of my kids is showing signs on and off that she might be struggling with similar symptoms that my other daughter had - could she have leaky gut as well or is it just regular childhood stuff?  At first, there's so much, "what if, what if, what if....?"  But then, "No fear, no panic, no dread."  Then, I just take each symptom, try a different diet for a bit, see if it works, no problem.....

My boys are starting to seriously think about careers.  Will they need to go to university?  How will I get them in?  Anxiety wells up, but then, "No fear, no panic, no dread....."  I realize I can cross each bridge as I get to in....calmness comes over me.

What about the fact there is no obvious signs of work coming in?  How will we conquer this army that is definitely "larger than my own"?  "No fear, no panic, no dread." 

So that is how I read the Old Testament.  Then I get so much out of it!  There are over-arching principles all throughout and it is up to the Holy Spirit to draw them out as I read them, as I mine the Scriptures. 

As that passage goes on, there is more.  Officers are supposed to speak to the people giving a little pep talk, challenging them, "Is there any man who is fearful or fainthearted?  Let him go back to his house, lest he make the heart of his fellows melt like his own."  The principle there?  I am supposed to be like an officer.  I do this all the time.  I gather the kids around me and I give them a pep talk just about every day, "Ok guys, we can do this!  We're going to take on our messy house!  We're going to take on this debt-battle!  We're going to clothe ourselves in brotherly kindness!  If any of you aren't on board, go back to bed!  I need kids who are going to stand with me!  Let's go go go go go!!!!!"

I'm really not exaggerating.  If I had a mega-phone it would add to the effect, but since I don't, I use my best "officer" voice and add a bit of "cheerleader" antics, sometimes some crazy music (as I don't have a lute or a lyre) and off we go, to take on the laundry, or the schoolwork or whatever it is and I really leave the ones who aren't on board in the dust.  Eventually they see they are bringing others down with them, so they end up joining the rest of us as I don't tolerate the bad attitude too well.  I love that the Bible says, "Go back."  That's why I say, too. "Go back - to bed, to your room, far from here as you are bringing the rest down."

The Bible is rich, so full of fantastic teaching.  I love how it can apply to me and my exact situation despite the fact is was written so long ago.  The people of that time had to deal with the same things I'm dealing with.

One of my kids started throwing up yesterday...another potential battle ahead.  Will it go through the whole house?  Will it stop at him?  Will I be up all night?  No fear, no panic, no dread.  I can deal with it.  I'll get through it.  What's the worst thing that can happen, more laundry?  So, once again, I thank God for the Scripture that was written so long ago....for me.  I can get through another battle, another army that is bigger than me.