“Do not be afraid” (Luke 5:10).
Ryan has a fear of surgery, specifically being knocked out. After you lose consciousness, you have no control over whether or not you’ll wake up again or what the doctors and nurses are doing to you. As Micki said, we are literally putting our lives into their hands, the hands of strangers. Why are we afraid? Do we not believe the doctors and nurses have our best interest in mind? Are we not confident in their ability to perform whatever procedure we are there for? Even with the best surgeon, the best nurses, the best facility, etc., we know there is room not only for human error but for chance. We live in a fallen world. But thankfully we have a redeemer who is also the great Physician and our loving Father. Why then are we afraid to put our lives in His hands?
When Jesus performed the miracle of the biggest catch of fish that Peter, James, and John had ever seen or imagined Peter “…fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!’” and Jesus said “… Do not be afraid” (Luke 5:8, 10). Why did Jesus have to tell Peter to not be afraid? Peter realized his own sinfulness in the presence of a holy God. Jesus could do anything, even control nature. Take a minute to consider how you would feel standing in the presence of the one who can not only control nature but who created it in the first place. Jesus was human and divine. Our God is a being that is powerful, infinite, and in control. We barely understand Him, “for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are [His] ways higher than [our] ways, and [His] thoughts than [our] thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9). And yes He says, “Do not be afraid.”
If we can trust our doctors and nurses with our lives, why can’t we surrender all to Jesus? In telling Peter not to be afraid, Jesus was not only telling him it was ok for him to be in Jesus’ physical presence, sinful though he was, but also not to worry about the rest of his life. Jesus had it covered. Jesus has our best interest at heart and even though we might end up in circumstances we’d rather not be in, we have the assurance of Jesus being there with us telling us we have nothing to fear as long as we are fully in His care. We are clay in the hands of the Potter (Isaiah 64:8). He has formed us from dust of the ground, through our mother’s womb, and now through trials and afflictions. Jesus suffered here on earth; he knows what our daily toil is like. We can trust Him to guide our lives in the best possible way for our ultimate benefit.
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear…” (1 John 4:18). “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind…” (Luke 10:27). If we could unreservedly love God, we could surrender all to Him, including our fear. And that means giving God even more control over our lives than we give to our surgeons! Trusting our maker to make us into His image. Our hopes, dreams, thoughts, actions, words, our personalities, goals, jobs, time, talents… and fears must all come in the hands of the mighty Potter, the great Physician.
If you have a hymnal at home, go back and read the words to “I Surrender All” or read them here. Meditate this week on what is means to you to surrender all.
“Do not be afraid.”