“BE SURE OF THIS: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Jesus – Matthew 28:20 NLT
It was my youngest daughters birthday and at the last minute she called to invite my wife and I to join her family for dinner. The place she was selected was a Japanese Steakhouse. You know… the one with the Hibachi grill? Even as we got out of the car to meet them I heard it… “Yes Coast.. BIG Fire…WHOOSH! But don’t worry, it won’t hurt you!” Their son, Coast, is almost 2!
I was the father of little kids and knew the drill. So I immediately chimed in… “First we CHOP CHOP!” Then we WHOOSH WHOOSH! Then we EAT EAT! Then we say YUM YUMMMMMMM!” By the time we hit the door he was saying it along with me and adding the hand gestures we had created together. As the flashy event got closer… we all built up the event in anticipation that he was anticipating it WITH us…. It didn’t work!
WHOOOOOOOOSH happened!!!! And he immediately he closed his eyes and started to whimper. He TRIED to be tough. But the event was just too much for his little heart. My wife leaned in close and he leaned in closer, putting his head on her chest… “no no no no no,” was all he could say. WE knew Coast would be alright… but HE didn’t! Ever been there?
The promise in today’s Bible verse is repeated several times in both the Old AND New Testaments. There are 365 ‘Fear NOT’s’ in the Bible.. seemingly one for each day of the year. And why? Because our Creator KNOWS we WILL BE VERY much AFRAID… VERY often! He wants to reassure us that His promise is rock solid. That through every WHOOSH, SLAM, CRASH and BAM… He WILL be RIGHT THERE WITH us. All we need to do is lean in!
There will come a day when Coast will SHINE in the light of the flash. One day he will anticipate and laugh at the WHOOSH! But until then…those who love him will keep telling him… “it will be O.K, we are here with you! Don’t be afraid!” But I can’t help thinking… as adults… do WE really pay attention to the voice of our Savior at the WHOOSHES in our lives? Do WE LEAN into Him for comfort and encouragement in our fears and tears? He wants us to!
God loves you and me SO much that He sent His Son. And His Son loves you and me SO much that He ACCEPTED the assignment. Facing and enduring the sorrows and pain that it would take to win our hearts, you and I have the choice to ‘lean in and trust,’ or ‘fear and flee.’ My initial reaction at the WHOOSH shows Him the inclination of my heart. Today He is encouraging us to Trust Him… will we? Because ‘WHOOSH is COMIN!’
