Fear

Spent some time reading news articles about the Middle East tonight.

Iran. Israel. Egypt. Pakistan.

These nations are at the centre of attention these days. Could there be another World War around the corner? Does our current globalized economy allow for World Wars or just continual War – pure war!

How should I, as a Christian, navigate these stories? As a pastor, how do I speak about them to others?

Do I allow fear to set in? To be honest, it wouldn't be that hard for me. Somewhere, tucked-in deep, there's an end-times fanatic just waiting to burst out – I'm sure of it. But reason still prevails.

And then I read about a Canadian woman that wants to end her own life with the aid of medical staff – assisted suicide. I can't imagine her emotional pain. I love my life. She said she loved living as well – that she didn't want to die a terrible death. If she was going to die, she wanted it to be dignified?

What does it mean to die a dignified death? I would want dignity as well. But what counts as dignity? Strength? Beauty? Having my 'wits' about me?

Isn't my life dignified from the outside? Do I not receive my dignity from the identity gifted to me in Christ? Was his death dignified?

Why fear war? Why fear weakness? Why fear these things when I have a community that loves me, a wife that ravishes me, friends that listen to me, a dog that comforts me? Why fear these things when our good Lord, Jesus, takes me on a journey of joy and beauty every day?

Whether War, pestilence, Lou Gerig's disease, cancer, or whatever else – why fear? I'm in the hands of the Potter... I am clay in His hands. Why fear? Because I don't, by the grace of God. I don't.