When I heard someone say, “Everybody wants security,” I had to ask why that was not a concern for me. I love adventure and don’t mind taking risks. Not foolish risks, mind you, but I’m not going to hide in my house for fear of venturing out.
Fenced-in people can feel insecure.
On an unfenced playground, children will move freely over the entire area. But if the perimeter is fenced, they will stay away from the fence, playing more toward the center, where it’s safer. The fence stands as a reminder that we’re not safe. Dangers lurk outside. Some pervert might jump the fence and assault them.
Desiring security, we can see danger everywhere.
FEAR has been seen as an acronym for “false evidence appearing real.” Telling people they don’t have to fear doesn’t lessen the tragedies that torment our minds. When the wind and waves were about to capsize their boat, the disciples feared for their lives. Jesus said, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”
These were fishermen who knew what can happen on the open seas during a storm. What reality had they missed, which caused them to be unnecessarily afraid?
True security is having Jesus in our boat.
If Jesus isn’t in their boat, people have good reason to fear. All the time. If they aren’t already in a storm, the clouds are forming. They may not survive. But if Jesus is in our boat, we can be like the disciples who failed to recognize God’s power over the wind and waves.
When we are in his hands and we recognize his presence and power, we don’t have to fear. In the storm, we can live or die. We can sink, swim, or walk on the water. None of that matters when we understand God’s love for us. His protection overrides our fear for what might happen. We can be absolutely sure that everything will be all right.
Once we know our lives are secure, we don’t have to seek security. We already have it. We can then enjoy life’s adventures, even the storms, without fear.
Lord, as I walk through the most trying times of my life, a dark valley of the shadow of death, I still don’t have to fear, because you’re at my side. Like a shepherd who protects his lambs, your rod and your staff keep me safe. — Psalm 23:4, The Discussion Bible