Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
We are living in a time when the normal is not the normal right now.
We are living in a time of uncharted courses.
We are living in a time of many unknowns.
Because of these realties we are facing a weight in many of our lives: fear.
Fear of nothing being normal and maybe it will never be normal again.
Fear that the uncharted courses are leading to destruction.
Fear that the unknowns will never become known.
I understand each of those fears because I have experienced them over the last two weeks. I have gone from great hope and confidence to great discouragement. Following God’s call on my life to teach and proclaim the gospel and caring for the emotional and physical heath on my faith family has proved challenging. So, yes, I am not immune to a feeling of fear.
The passage in Hebrews gives us a way to deal with the fear: look to or focus on Jesus.
This week I have done three things to focus myself more on Jesus.
#1: Spend more time in scripture – letting God speak to my fears through His word which is truth.
#2: Listen to more God-focused music – God uses the powerful format of music to apply His truth our spirits.
#3: Share with and serving others more – getting the focus off my fears and helping others with theirs.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is focusing our lives on Jesus.
Why focusing on Jesus relives our fears:
Because Jesus is the founder of our faith – He initiated our faith (it originated and is centered in Him).
Because Jesus is the perfecter of our faith – He provides our desire to experience salvation and the means of our salvation.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is giving our lives to Jesus and experiencing Him as the founder and perfecter of our faith.
Jesus endured the shame of the cross so we would experience the joy of knowing Him, trusting Him, and overcoming the things that hinder us. Fear is a hinderance to us fully, joyfully, and faithfully following and obeying Jesus. So, we are told to get rid of it by giving it to Jesus.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is experiencing the power to follow Jesus fully, joyfully, and faithfully.
Psalm 123:1-2
To you I lift up my eyes, O You who are enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till He has mercy upon us.
God impressed this passage on me this week. We are to look to God as our Master and cry to Him for mercy and fully expect God to pour out His mercy on us.
Our fears are not relieved based of explanations but our fears are relieved based on God’s promises.
May you and those you love experience the peace of God!
Looking to Jesus and Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,
Joe
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