Faith Over Fear

It was a gospel journey that brought my group of beach friends together. It started in the late 1980’s when we were young moms. Although, the beach retreats didn’t start until 2011. I always enjoy this extraordinary getaway with my spiritual sisters twice a year, more so now that I am not working full tilt in full-time ministry. I am usually the early riser in the group. It doesn’t matter if we have stayed up until midnight binge-watching “Jamestown.” I’m still up in the quiet of the morning seeing the sun rise through the kitchen window while coffee is brewing.

Saturday morning of this getaway (9-29-18), I was reading My Utmost for His Highest (Oswald Chambers). This quote struck me: “The realization of the (God’s) call in a person’s life may come like a clap of thunder or it may dawn gradually… but… it is always accompanied with an undercurrent of the supernatural – something that is inexpressible and produces a ‘glow.’ ”

We were a fairly informal group until a certain discipleship training course crashed into our lives. It was called MasterLife. I don’t know if it was the scripture we memorized, or the all-morning prayer solitude one day, or the continuous prayers we prayed, or the hard homework questions we discussed. But, our lives were changed. And we answered unique calls. It’s possible that the greatest call came and directed us to minister to our own families. It wasn’t a clap of thunder. It dawned gradually.

Many children and grandchildren later, our families remain the greatest arena of our faith testing. The greatest arena of our fear. The greatest arena of heartache. The greatest puzzle. The greatest arena of hard questioning. The greatest arena of life and death cycles. The greatest arena of the stretching to which God calls us. Yet, the place where our faith has been built up.

Twice a year, we come to the beach “mountain top,” but that is not where we are allowed to stay. We often (sometimes reluctantly) return to the “valley of life” with a refreshed perspective. Because of a call whispered to us by God, we step ahead in faith. A spiritual touch happens. A supernatural undercurrent. An inexpressible lure.

Joshua 1:2 says, “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you (Joshua) and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them – to the Israelites.” Just as God was preparing Joshua ahead of the crossing, God prepares us. We get ready. While we wrestle with our fears, God’s promises remain trustworthy. He refuels us with His Word. He gives us courage and resolve. We leave the beach.

Joshua 1:5-7 says, “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.”

Faith over fear. It’s the message of Joshua. The call of God. The glow. Be strong. Be courageous.