Whom Shall I Fear

Ridley woke up this morning grumpy, and once we told him he had to let go of his bink and baa (his pacifier and blanket we have been trying to make use of only at sleep time) he lost it.  I was in a rush getting ready for the day, and Dustin was attempting to dress Ridley, brush his teeth, and wash his face.  Ridley cried out, "Bink, baaa! Bink, baa!" with tears streaming down his face.  Once he caught a glimpse of me, it turned into, "Mommy...Mommy..."  My heart was breaking for my sweet boy who needed comfort from his mommy.  I stopped what I was doing, swooped him up into my arms.  He quickly nestled his tear-stained face into my neck and immediately stopped crying.  He was satisfied, and I soaked in the moment.
God wants so badly to be our comfort in times of trouble.  He is our Heavenly Father...our Daddy.  He wants us to pour our hearts out to him when we are feeling scared or defeated, tempted or depressed.  Psalm 91 speaks about the protection and comfort our Lord offers those who love him.

1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
    will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
    he is my God, and I trust him.
3 For he will rescue you from every trap
    and protect you from deadly disease.
4 He will cover you with his feathers.
    He will shelter you with his wings.
    His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
    nor the arrow that flies in the day.
6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
    nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side,
    though ten thousand are dying around you,
    these evils will not touch you.
8 Just open your eyes,
    and see how the wicked are punished.
9 If you make the Lord your refuge,
    if you make the Most High your shelter,
10 no evil will conquer you;
    no plague will come near your home.
11 For he will order his angels
    to protect you wherever you go.
12 They will hold you up with their hands
    so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;
    you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!
14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
    I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
    I will be with them in trouble.
    I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long life
    and give them my salvation.”

There is so much here I love, but I especially love thinking about being covered by his feathers, sheltered by his wings.  Imagine being safely tucked into the powerful wings of our God, nestled deeply in the feathers.  It reminds me of a featherbed I have.  After a stressful day, I love to sink down in it all cozy and warm.
But the feathers of our Lord are more than cozy, they are shields of protection, where nothing can harm us.  Protection from enemies, sickness, wild beasts.  Imagine being able to let go of all fear, because you are literally wrapped up in the feathers of Almighty God who has promised, "I will protect you, my child."  Just like I want to protect Ridley from harm, God wants to protect us.
Many time throughout my life I have found myself in need of the comforting, protective wings of my God.  Right now is one of them.  I am waiting on the results from a couple medical tests, and I am afraid.  I have found myself time and time again running into the arms of my Savior for comfort and peace.  I feel so thankful I have him to turn to when I feel scared.  And I'm also thankful he made me a person who is susceptible to fear, because it has driven me to him many times. It has been in these times that I have found him to be faithful.  It has been in these times my faith has grown and I have learned the most about my weakness and his strength.
If you are battling fear or just have a nagging worry in the back of your mind, set up an emergency meeting with Jesus.  He is never too busy...no time is too late or too early...he will never turn you away.  Jump into his feathers and pour out your heart, and he will be faithful to give you "the peace that surpasses all understanding to guard your heart and your mind".  Thanks be to God!

Here is another song I love!  Whom Shall I Fear by Chris Tomlin