Pastor Jon is working through Luke, yesterday we were in Luke 12. He was recounting stories from Foxe’s book of Martyrs. As he was telling them, I found myself shrinking deeper and deeper into my seat. Everything inside me and outside me did not want to hear stories of gruesome pain being inflicted upon the human body to the point of death. I found myself growing more and more terrified as he went on in more detail than I was comfortable with. This is a normal justified response right? Who likes to hear those things?
As we read Luke12: 4-5 I realized my fear was sorely misplaced. It says, “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes I tell you, fear him!” Talk about a punch-in-the-gut. As I think more and more about this passage I realize I am and have been living a life of fear, worldly fear.
I fear man, physically I fear man. If I count the hours of sleep I have lost looking out our bedroom door and waiting for some man to come around the corner with a ski mask and AK 47, I most definitely, would be a rich woman. Ridiculous, I know but absolutely true. I have always acquiesced to this fear, after several robberies as a child. I believed it was justified. It never occurred to me that it was actually a manifestation of poor theology and poor knowledge of God’s truth. All man can do is kill my body, yes in very horrible ways, but it occurred to me, it cannot be any worse than the torment of eternal hell. Physical pain no matter how long it lasts is temporary. How thrilling!
I am excited and apprehensive to embark on my new desire to eradicate worldly fear from my life. Of course only by God’s grace can those habits change, but that grace is more than sufficient =)
I have been hanging onto a coupon for Fairyland in Oakland for a little bit now. We decided to go this weekend since we were taking a little hiatus from construction. We thought Liam would LOVE it and be running around everywhere, nada....he didn't seem thrilled at all. =( The only time I saw him smile was as we were walking to the car and he was on top of his daddy's shoulders. Go figure.
In the whale's mouth
Dancing, Liam won a free dance class, much to his dad's horror =)
Train ride
With some weird fairy who kept talking to the dragon
Walked in and found Liam napping like this...
