Love > Fear

[00:00:00] Foreign. [00:00:08] Chuck here on Tuesday of this Christmas week. I just find this fascinating. I mean, we're in Advent week four. It's finally arrived. And here we are in the week of love. [00:00:22] And in this weekday podcast, I want us to take a look at love through a different lens. [00:00:28] Not sentimental love, a love that does something to your fear. [00:00:34] In Luke, chapter one, the message tells the story like this. [00:00:39] An angel shows up in a nowhere town called Nazareth to a teenage girl with no platform, no resume, no clout. And the angel says, good morning. [00:00:50] You're beautiful with God's beauty. Beautiful inside and out. God be with you. And the message says was that Mary was thoroughly shaken. Well, duh, of course she was. [00:01:02] Because when you have quietly decided that you are thoroughly forgettable, when you think your background scenery is other people's stories, and suddenly heaven calls you beautiful with God's beauty, you don't know what to do with it. She's got to be scared, confused, trying to figure out what in the world's going on. [00:01:21] But the angel says that she's carrying the Messiah, the Savior, God's rescue plan, in her own body. [00:01:30] And Mary asked the obvious, how is this possible? It's not the translation. [00:01:37] I don't have what it takes. This can't be right. You must have the wrong person. God. [00:01:43] Have you ever quietly said that to God? Maybe. [00:01:46] Wrong person, wrong story, wrong address. [00:01:49] And then comes this line. Hear it in the message. [00:01:52] The Holy Spirit will come upon you. The power of the highest hover over you. [00:01:57] Nothing you see is impossible with God. [00:02:00] And Mary, this young, vulnerable, very human girl, says, yes, I see it now. I am the Lord's maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me, just as you say. [00:02:13] This is what love does to fear. Not by erasing all the unknowns. Not by handing you a 37 step plan and guaranteed outcomes. [00:02:22] Love. [00:02:23] When is God's love stands right in the midst of your fear. And he whispers to you, I'll be right there with you. [00:02:33] First John, chapter four in the message puts it this way. God is love. [00:02:38] When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. There is no room in love for fear. Well formed love banishes fear. [00:02:53] Did you hear that? No room in love for fear. [00:02:57] Not because you never feel afraid again, but because fear stops getting the last word. Fear says, hey, you're on your own. Love says, but I am with you. Fear says, you're not enough. And love says, but my grace is. [00:03:13] Fear says, if people really knew you, they'd leave, but love says, I fully know you and I'm not going anywhere. This is what Advent is all about. God stepping into human vulnerability, into womb and skin and bone and limitation. And saying, I'm not watching this from a distance. [00:03:32] So here's the question for us today. [00:03:35] Where is fear running the show right now in our lives? [00:03:39] Money? Kids? Health? Marriage? Future of a job? [00:03:43] Or is it just maybe a low buzzing anxiety that you're going to blow it and God will be done with you? [00:03:50] Well, on this week four of Advent and on this Tuesday of Christmas week, can you picture fear as a loud roommate who's been talking non stop? [00:04:02] And then picture love, capital L. Love coming home, opening the door and saying, that's enough. [00:04:09] I live here now. [00:04:11] Here's a simple practice for today. Take one. Fear. Not all of them, just one. [00:04:16] Name it as specifically as you can. Then out loud, if you can pray this Advent, God of love, this is where I'm afraid. And then name it. [00:04:28] I invite your perfect love into this exact place. [00:04:33] Not the cleaned up version, not the future version, but this one. [00:04:38] And then sit for 30 seconds and simply breathe. [00:04:42] You don't have to feel anything dramatic. You don't have to manufacture some emotional movement. [00:04:48] I mean, you're just making room. That's it. [00:04:52] Telling fear. It doesn't get to be the landlord anymore, letting love take up permanent residence. Like First John says, maybe like Mary, you're not ready to say, I see it all now and that's okay. [00:05:07] Maybe your prayer today sounds more like, I barely see any of it now, but I'm willing for your love to meet me here. [00:05:14] That counts. That's faith. That's adventure. [00:05:19] I want to pray this over you today. [00:05:21] God of perfect love, you move toward us in Jesus. You stepped into our fear and our fragility. [00:05:29] For every person listening who's afraid, afraid of failing, of being left behind, of being measured and not measuring up, would you draw near them and let your love, well formed and steady, start to banish their fear from the inside out? [00:05:46] Teach us to live more like Mary, honest about our questions, but still willing to say, let it be with me, just as you say, Amen. Amen and amen. Thanks for listening in to the weekday podcast. I'm Chuck Allen. And as you walk through this Advent week of love, may you know this deep in your bones. I mean, down to a cellular level. [00:06:09] Fear does not get the final word over your life. [00:06:12] Love does. God bless you. Bye now.