Faith Over Fearਨਮੂਨਾ

At the age of 21, I bungee-jumped from a bridge out over the Kawarau River near Queenstown, New Zealand. Before taking the plunge, a bath towel was wrapped around my ankles with a simple cord, then the bungee rope was attached. ‘Is that it?’ I questioned. ‘That’s all I need?’ ‘There’s nothing more to it?’ Only to jump. I’ve never placed more faith in a bath towel than I did that day!

We can choose to experience self-imposed fear through thrill-seeking endeavours such as a bungee jump. More often than not, however, fear comes to us unannounced, often when we least expect it, tapping into the deepest recesses of our subconscious, at times eliciting some of the strongest emotional and even physiological responses. But it’s not all bad. Fear is a natural safety mechanism preventing us from unnecessary harm or misfortune at times. It is our response to fear, in light of our faith, however, that is of great importance.

The shepherds were joined suddenly by an angel of the Lord – who came bearing good news which would lead to great joy for all people – and they were terrified! As if to emphasise the point – and to add to the shepherds’ collective fear – the angel was suddenly and subsequently joined by a vast host of others, and they were praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased’ (Luke 2:14 NLT). What was the response of the shepherds to this supernatural experience? They replied, let’s go and ‘see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about’ (Luke 2:15 NLT).

Like a bungee jump, when it comes to the life of faith, we sometimes find ourselves asking the questions, ‘Is that it?’ ‘That’s all I need?’ ‘There’s nothing more to it?’ These are questions founded, perhaps, on the notion that there must be some sort of additional requirement on our part other than the faith we have expressed in Christ and the undeserved grace of God that has already been shown towards us.

In fact, all that is left for us to do is to continually take a leap of faith out of the fearful or unknown and into that which God invites us to daily, made possible only through the Advent of Christ in our world – true love among us.

What is your natural reaction and/or response to fear in your life? What enables you to approach fear from a perspective of faith and to overcome it? What prevents you from doing so? What does taking a ‘leap of faith’ look like for you in your present context?

Jesus Christ, Son of God, Love among us,
Perfect love that expels all fear.
Light of the world, call us out of the fearful and dark places,
Draw us out of uncertainty into divine clarity.
May fear give way to faith, obscurity to prominence,
Make known to us the intrinsic mystery of Advent and Atonement,
Wait for us in the places you have called us to, where we are yet to be.
Light and Life of the world, may it be so.
Amen.