FEAR FACTOR

Fear paralyzes—it really does.

When I was seven, and staying home with my second oldest sister one Saturday night, a drunken woman tried to break into our home and kill my sibling and I.  Our house looked just like our neighbor’s, and it was the neighbor’s husband that was having an affair with the woman.

When the first brick crashed through the glass of the front storm door, I felt a huge shot of electricity run down my left arm from my shoulder to the bottom of the elbow.  The rest of me didn’t move too well—and then not at all—when the second brick went through our double-plated living room window.

 

Fortunately, my 15 year-old sister kept a level head and steady fingers as she dialed the Chicago Police, who were only about six blocks away.  The next call she made was to our folks, who were over a mile away and got there before the police (Dad always did want an excuse for driving fast). 

During the commotion, the other neighbor--awakened out of sleep, asked her husband to chase the woman she saw breaking into our house.  A former college football player, Dick tackled her near the end of the block (wearing only his pajamas) and held her until the police arrived.  Best of all, seeing as that it was the ‘good ole’ days, a pharmacist from two doors down gave my parents a couple of pills to help me sleep midst my hysteria.

The woman got her jail time, the neighbor got divorced from her husband, and God used a number of different sources to help protect us.  I didn’t realize until decades later that  I suffered from PTSD because of the experience—something the Lord continues to deliver me from as time marches on. 

Although there is peace in the event being behind me, and our having escaped with our lives, the greatest peace has come through the increased intimacy in my walk with Him, as He refuses to knuckle-under to my demands that He deliver me sooner, rather than later.

b(Les)sings

Psalm 64

King James Version (KJV)

Psalm 64

 ¹Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
 ²Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:
 ³Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:
 ⁴That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.
 ⁵They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?
 ⁶They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.
 ⁷But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.
 ⁸So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.
 ⁹And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.
 ¹⁰The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

SO MUCH TO WRITE, SO LITTLE TIME--PART II

David talks about the Lord delivering him from all his fears.  I can relate.

I’m not exactly formidable in size and consequently do not prompt waves of fear to crash down over those I come in contact with, but those that seek contact with me are capable of producing such waves—PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) can exacerbate them.

Still working for that coffee service, I was on coffee pot washing duty one day—it was about as glorious as it sounds.  An Asian fellow whom I knew to be a Black Belt came up to me and simultaneously grabbed and twisted all of my left pectoral.  I expressed my displeasure—he seemed unmoved.  As he began poking the rest of my chest with a long, bony finger, a crowd gathered.
    
“I could kick your _ _ _, “ he bragged.  “Yes, you could,” I exclaimed, “But what are you going to do with Jesus?” 

Both of us were stunned.  He left, and I breathed a huge sigh of relief, thanking God for His deliverance.  What was needful for me came up in the bucket from my well, I just hadn’t purposed to draw out any of its “water” at the time.

b(Les)sings

Psalm 34
King James Version 
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1A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed. I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
3O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
4I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
5They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
6This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
7The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
8O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
9O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
10The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.
11Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?
13Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
14Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
15The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
16The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
18The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
19Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
20He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
21Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
22The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.