Fear and Peace

Hiding away, secretly harvesting the crops, Gideon trembled when Someone spoke to him, saying, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”  (Speaking those things that are not as though they are. - He does that a lot over us, you know.  Calling out of us what we didn't know He had placed there.) Gideon questioned, "If the Lord is with us, then why are we oppressed, why do we have to be in hiding, secretly bringing in our crops before the Midianites get to them so we don't starve?  The Lord has abandoned us - we know He can do great things, because He's done it before, but my eyes have seen none of that." (my paraphrase)  Then, Gideon gets his commission as the Lord tells him to go in the strength he has and defeat Midian.  Fitly, Gideon replies: "My father's house is the weakest in our tribe and I'm the least in my family...essentially, "What strength??? I don't have any strength to boast.  Didn't you see me hiding and trembling?"  At this honest, humble response, the Lord replies, "Yes, then I will be with you and go before you.  I will defeat Midian before you."  At this promise, Gideon prepared and offered a sacrifice, and it was consumed before him, and the Visitor evaporated into the flames and smoke and disappeared.  It wasn't until then that Gideon realized, Who had been speaking to him and he feared for his life, having spoken face to face with the Angel of the Lord.  Yet, the Angel of the Lord reassured him with the much reiterated statement throughout Scripture when one encounters the Lord or his messengers, “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.”  In response to this, Gideon built an altar and called it The Lord is Peace. And from there he saw miracles as God delivered the hoards of Midian into the hands of a motley crew of merely 300 armed with torches, pitchers, trumpets and swords.   
     John tells us there is no fear in LOVE but that Love is also PEACE and certainly fear and peace are antithesis of one another.  In fact, I think fear of anything except the Fear of the Lord leads to unrest, turmoil.  Gideon learned that there is One worth trembling before, in awe and acknowledgement of His great majesty, OTHERNESS and power, but He does not want us to fear.  And when we come to the place when nothing else holds any fear for us, and the will of God no matter how impossible or daunting becomes PEACE, we have come to a place of Faith, to an understanding of Who He is. There is a Peace that comes from knowing that He is with us, He is for us, He is our deliverer, provider.  With God as our ally, what have we to fear? 
   I tend to fear my own failure, the list of things I haven't gotten to or can't get to today, the lack of time or time that slips away too fast, the struggle between what I desire to do, the parent and wife I desire to be, and the reality of what is...and I tremble at that.  God is calling us not to be afraid of these things.  Not to tremble before lesser things (maybe it's all about trembling before Him or before lesser things?) but to see Him, high, lifted up, all capable, all knowing, full of compassion, Sovereign over all things and let His Lordship be PEACE. 

Because the Fear of the Lord is PEACE.

   Praise the One who made all things well and can certainly order our days, order our lives, even order our time and decisions and relationships well.  Trust that He can and will, then yield to His Peace.























All Creatures of our God and King by St Francis of Assisi
All creatures of our God and King,
Lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam!

Refrain:
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou rushing wind that art so strong,
Ye clouds that sail in heav’n along,
O praise Him! Alleluia!

Thou rising moon, in praise rejoice,
Ye lights of evening, find a voice!
Thou flowing water, pure and clear,
Make music for thy Lord to hear,
O praise Him! Alleluia!

Thou fire so masterful and bright,
That givest man both warmth and light.
And all ye men of tender heart,
Forgiving others, take your part,
O praise Him! Alleluia!

Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,
Praise God and on Him cast your care!
Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship Him in humbleness,
O praise Him! Alleluia!

Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One!
Song
Story behind the hymn