Have No Fear, Little Flock

First off, I'd like to apologize for this post coming so soon on the heels of the last one, but it seemed a timely thing to talk about, so I thought I'd share. I hope you don't mind.

I've been thinking a lot about those words lately, "Have no fear, Little Flock." The tune has been rolling around in my head... and my heart has taken much comfort in the message. I prefer to focus on these words rather than "pandemic," "quarantine," and "panic." The words, "Have no fear," remind me that in a world where chaos and uncertainty rule... God still reigns. He is still in control. He always has been.

I had an interesting conversation with a stranger the other day in the aisle at HEB. We were both staring at the vacant shelves where bottles and bottles of anti-bacterial soap and hand sanitizer used to sit. We looked at each other, knowingly. She asked, "Do you think they just haven't restocked yet, or do you think this is due to the panic?" My reply: "I'm pretty sure it's all the hype, and, yes, it's probably some panic too." "Well, Thy will be done," she replied. "My daughter asked me, 'Mom, aren't you scared?' and I just told her, I'm sixty-five years old and I've seen a lot more than this." We agreed, that stranger and me, that God is still in control. Whatever the world has to dish out... God is bigger.

One of my daughters and I have been having somewhat of an ongoing conversation about life. In specific, about how fragile it is, how uncertain. It's perhaps uncertain to us, but not to our Father in heaven. My sweet girl had expressed sadness over coworkers who have suffered sudden and, for some, unimaginable losses. I reassured her, and reassured myself in the process, that we must live every day right with the Lord, and tell the important people in our lives that we love them. If we've done those two things, we're good to go... to go onward or upward whichever the Lord chooses. We have to keep living life and be unafraid, because living in fear isn't living at all.

I actually kind of think this current situation in which we find ourselves provides an incredible opportunity for believers to witness to the world the majesty of God. We know that there is only one true fear worth concerning ourselves over, the fear that some will be lost to the Lord without ever knowing Him. Where people voice concern, we can calm with the Gospel. Where individuals utter hopelessness over the situation, we can introduce them to the One who holds the universe in the palm of His hand. Where panic begins to stir, we can point to the Good Shepherd with those beautiful and most assuring words, "Have no fear, Little Flock."

Whatever alarms, God has an answer.

Wars and rumors of wars... Have no fear, Little Flock.

Earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes... Have no fear, Little Flock.

Sickness, disease, death... Have no fear, Little Flock.

Yes, these are troubling times. There are legitimate concerns. We do live with uncertainty. All those things are true, but there is another truth we must never forget. Nothing happens without God's knowledge, and nothing can touch us that hasn't already filtered through His hands. I believe this fully. If there is something that affects me, God is still in control, and He has a purpose for it. It will either be for my good, for the good of my neighbor, or for the good of His kingdom at large, so I needn't worry. I can simply put my life in His hands, and live.

I want to leave you with this word from Scripture:

Jesus was speaking with His disciples. Here He tells them: "Behold the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." - John 16:32-33

Indeed, "Have no fear, Little Flock."