Change

Today is my birthday. I have one more year in this fifth decade. It has made me think a lot about the changes slowly occurring in my life due to age. Some good, some bad. Many more to come. There have been many changes around me in the past few days as well. An old friend lost her husband. A close friend is facing a serious illness with her husband. Another learned of the illness of a cousin who is more like a sister. One met new grandchildren for the first time. Some good changes, some not so good. We face changes all the time. Some are life changing, some just affect the day or even the hour we hear them. Some don't change anything at all. Living in this society at this time in history, we're somewhat used to change. We have to be. Things change all the time. Buy a new phone if you don't believe me. Within what seems like days there is a new one out that is 'smaller' (not bigger) and better and we want to change to that one eventually. I am an avid newspaper reader, but I no longer read a paper version. I have changed to the digital version,and I read it on the very instrument I use to write this blog. Many times changes bring that old enemy fear right along with them. It seems they both knock on the door at the same time,entering with a sneer and heading right toward us. Even small changes bring fear. For example, I am only 1 day older than I was yesterday. I feel about the same as I did 24 hours ago. But the change in that number brings about a realization of changes that added years will be bringing me. And "let the fear begin!" Of course there are some good fears . We fear our children will be hurt so we do the things necessary to keep them safe. We fear getting sick, so we try to eat right, exercise, and brush our teeth. We fear car accidents so we put on our seatbelts. We far we will lose our job so we arrive on time and do our best. We fear God at the same time that we love Him, because we know Who He is. There are over 100 references to fear in the Old Testament. Some of them are about that "good" fear...the fear of God. The kind of fear that keeps us loved, taken care of, respectful, and blessed. Many more of the references,however, admonish us not to fear. NOT TO FEAR?????? How do we go about that? I used to be a big chicken. Scared of everything. Things that " might" happen ( but usually didn't) . I'd worry about my family, my possessions, my job....you get my drift. I probably even worried about worrying! I'm not going to tell you I don't fear anymore. None of you would believe that anyway. I still do. But I will tell you that it is an entirely different experience than it used to be. Not nearly as often. Or as much. Or about the same things. My biggest and deepest fears are about spiritual matters now. One of my loved ones being unsaved scares me to death. That's the biggest one. Not doing or being what God wants is right up there as well. One of the scriptures that really speaks to me regarding fear is 1 Timothy 1:17: "For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of self- discipline.". All things I desperately need, and things He provides me through belief in His Son. Another scripture that provides me great comfort is Psalm 46:1-3 : "God is our refuge and our strength,an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though it's waters roll and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." That pretty much means no matter what. What changes are you facing? Did fear walk in at the same time? There's one fear that guides us all to the One who will chase all the fears away. Thank Goodness!