"Moses Stories For Our Times: When Fear Controls Our Living"Dr.
James L. Mayfield
October 27, 2002
Text: Numbers 13-14 (selected verses read in worship) In the story for today, Moses sent twelve spies into the Promised Land to bring back a report on what the land had to offer and a report about the people who lived there and their defenses. When the spies returned ten of them said the land was not that great, the fortifications appeared impregnable and the people who lived their were giants -- so huge the Israelites looked like grasshoppers in comparison. The minority report given by Caleb and Joshua was that it was a wonderful land, producing all sorts of abundance, a land flowing with milk and honey, and that with God's help, the Israelites could move in and take possession of the land God had promised their ancestors. The majority report was the one most Israelites believed. It struck fear such in their hearts, they wept all night and again they complained about the leadership of Moses and Aaron and wished they had never left Egypt. They even went so far as to talk about electing a captain to lead them back to the good old days when they were safe and secure in their slavery They were so in bondage to their fears; their faith in God evaporated, and with faith gone, hope disappeared also. Although God had done all God did to motivate Pharaoh to set them free, although God had rescued them when Pharaoh's army was sent to recapture them, although God had parted the Red Sea that enabled the Israelites to escape and then brought the waters together again destroying Pharaoh's army, although God provided guidance with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, although God provided food and water, although God had done all this and more, the Israelites' fears replaced their faith. Caleb and Joshua tried to persuade the people that God was with them and would be with them in the invasion, but their speeches only increased the fears of the Israelites. Frightened that Caleb and Joshua might be taken seriously, the Israelites wanted them put them to death. Once again God's long suffering patience almost reached the breaking point, and God was ready to wash His hands of the Israelites. Once again Moses interceded and God changed His mind. God would not abandon the Israelites, but none of those who had been complaining would enter the Promised Land; they would wander in the wilderness until they died of old age, and then their children would be given the blessings of entering the land God had promised. When Moses told the people what God had decided, the people were upset even more. Now the fears of living the rest of their lives in the wilderness took over, and they tried to take matters in their own hands. In an almost defiance of God and without God's blessing or the leadership of Moses, they tried to invade the Promised Land, and they were thoroughly defeated. This is the story for today. What does it say to us? More than I have time to say this morning. But one part of its message that I think is especially relevant for us today, both as a congregation considering our financial support of ministries in the year ahead, and for us as citizens who are concerned about Iraq. To both situations, the story for today shows us what happens when we allow our fears to overwhelm our faith. When fear of what others can do to us takes the place of our faith in God, it is impossible for us to receive what God is trying to give us. The Israelites were so controlled by their fears their faith in God, their confidence in God, their trust in God evaporated. Unable to trust and rely on God's guidance they first tried to escape into the past with its idealized memories of slavery. When they could not return to their past, they tried to force the future by trying to do today without the blessing of God what could have been accomplished yesterday with God's help. Captive to their fears, the Israelites made a mess of things. Now, fear is not a bad thing - far from it. I think fear is basically a good gift. Fear keeps us from naively doing what is stupid in the face of real danger. Fear is what makes us alert in the face of danger. Fear is what causes us to draw on our ability to be brave -- even brave enough to retreat, or to change our minds or policies when that is what is called for. Fear of hurting ourselves or others causes us to use caution in what we do. Fear of someone else being hurt, motivates us to try to protect them. Fear is a good gift, but like all good gifts from God, we can abuse or misuse it such as when we use scare tactics in trying to frighten other people into doing what we want, or voting the way we want. Or we can be enslaved by fear, such as when we surrender to our fears, and allow our fears to shape and control our priorities and our values, such as when protecting what we have becomes more important than doing what we know is right. How often have I allowed my fear of losing money or things I own or fear of losing approval of other people to be an excuse for not doing or saying what in my heart I knew ought to be said or done. And I do not think I am alone in this. It is tempting and easy for us to allow our fears of what might be to shape our priorities and values. Or to say that another way; it is tempting and easy for us to allow our fears to make us both sinners and cowards. Again, I want to repeat that fear is not a bad thing in and of itself. In fact, I think fear is a gift. What is wrong is being enslaved by our fear and allowing fear to control what we say and do. In the first letter of John, the author wrote: "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. ..." I do not fully understand what he meant, but this much seems clear to me. When our lives are controlled by our love of God and neighbor, we are not in bondage to our fears. We may still experience fear because fear is a gift from God to alert us to potential danger. But fear does not control our living when the kind of love revealed in Jesus is what determines our priorities in living. A mother rushes into a dangerous situation to rescue her child who is in harms way. Perfect love, casts out fear. In the face of fear, we need more than raw courage, because more often than not raw courage is guided only by fear rather than by faith in God and God's grace. We need courage shaped and guided by the kind of tough and tender love we see in Jesus. God gave us fear to help us be aware there is danger ahead. God gave us courage so we can deal with our fears; and God gave us love so that we would know what direction our courage should take us. It is appropriate that all of us should have some fear of the potential war against Iraq and the God only knows what consequences such a war would bring. I claim to have no wisdom about what to do about Iraq. First of all I do not have the information available to those who must make decisions, and second, I am not confident I have the background needed to make a wise decision. But of this much I am convinced; when (as today's story so clearly illustrates) fear rather than faith shapes what we say and don life is made worse - not better. Whatever is the best strategy or for dealing with Iraq, it needs to be shaped by faith in God -- the kind of faith in God that leads us to be committed to justice and mercy we see revealed in Christ. This is true for all the scary situations in life. It is our faithful commitment to God and to God's tough and tender love that should be the guiding force in shaping what we say and do. With that kind of faith, we are to live in the midst of danger as Paul advised the Philippians to live: "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling;" for God is at work in you ...." Faith does not make fear disappear, but faith sets us free from bondage to fear, and faith sets us on the right path for dealing with our fears in ways that are pleasing to God. In today's story the Israelites allowed their fears to override their faith, and they missed the opportunity to receive what God was offering. This is the way it always is when our fears override our faith. While fear is a good gift, when fear is in control of what we say and do, we make a mess of things. When fear is in control, faith tends of evaporate and love is shoved aside. When faith evaporates and love is shoved aside, we are unable to live as God intends. And when we are unable to live as God intends, we not only miss out on the blessings, just as the Israelites in today's story did, we also add to the problem or crisis, making matters worse both in the present and for some time to come. The Israelites had to wander in the wilderness a long, long time because fear had taken the place of faith at a critical point in their journey. Let us pray: God, in the midst of all that scares us, give us the faith we need so that our living is shaped by your tough and tender love rather than by our fears. Amen. Pastoral prayer: Let us thank God for the gifts and blessings we have received. We have come here with a variety of concerns and problems. Let us ask God for guidance and help. God, save us from all that keep us from living as You intend us to live. Enable us to be aware of our blessings; make us sensitive to the ways Your love is at work in our lives so that we are set free from the dark dungeons of worry and fear. May we be so aware of all we have been given that we are able to experience profound gratitude and the joy known only by those who are truly grateful. May we have such faith and commitment to You that what we say and do makes the kind of difference in life that is pleasing to You. Today, as we make our estimates of giving for the ministries of this congregation in the year ahead, enable us to do this out of the joy of knowing that we are doing what You want us to do. As we face this opportunity to share what we have in ministries for others, rescue us all the subtle forms of selfishness that hinder our ability to be faithful. Give us the peace that comes when we are aware that what we are saying and doing is in harmony with Your will. All this we pray in the awareness of Your generosity to us, especially the gift of Your son, the one who taught us to pray: "Our Father ..."
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