The Way: Walking Each Other Home in Love

Fear not, the prophet demands of us. Fear not. It's not a command to feel differently. It's not a demand to kind of embrace some toxic positivity or some spiritual performance. Look at me. I don't have fear. It's an invitation, really. It's an invitation to trust that the one whose love is so complete that it has the cow the power to completely cast out this ancient biological stubborn fear that we carry with us. [01:07:30] (34 seconds)  #FearNotTrust

I've noticed the fear more, and I've been able to let it go a little bit, but here's the thing, when you let go of fear, something fills its spot, doesn't it? And it's not courage for me. It doesn't feel like courage. It doesn't feel like determination or strong self will. You know what has replaced what little fear I've been able to let go of? Trust. Just trust. Just believing that God will carry me. [01:00:33] (40 seconds)  #TrustReplacesFear

Just believing that God will carry me. You know why? Because God has always carried me. God's got me this far. Why wouldn't God get me the rest of the way home? And when we let go of fear, when we do what the prophet said, we do not Fear. That's what happens. That void left behind by all the energy we're using to worry and be afraid about things, trust comes in and we believe the one who has carried us this far. [01:01:07] (38 seconds)  #GodCarriesYou

The one who knows our names, calls us by names, the one who has walked through the water, sat with us in the fire, been with us for forty years of wilderness wandering, that's the same one who has this perfect love that can cast out the fear that we carry. And so the antidote to fear is not fearlessness, it's love. Trust is a good one too. I can I can let you have that one? It's love. [01:02:57] (28 seconds)  #LoveCastsOutFear

And guide us, oh God, in the way we should go. Make your paths straight before us, and where the road bends and we cannot see what lies ahead, remind us that you can. Remind us that your steadfast love and faithfulness have been from of old and that they will outlast every single fear we have ever carried. [00:36:46] (29 seconds)  #GodGuidesOurPath

We confess, lord, that fear has a strong grip on us. It is woven into us ancient and persistent. We fear for ourselves, for the people we love, for the world we are watching. And so we pray, not that you would remove every danger from our path, but that you would be with us in it. Walk with us through the waters, sit with us in the fire, and remind us again and again that we will not be consumed. [00:34:00] (42 seconds)  #BeWithUsInIt

And closer to home, we hold before you those in our family of faith who are walking through illness, through grief, through fractured relationships, financial fear, the quiet despair of wondering if the way home is far too long. You know each of us, you know our cares, you call us by name, you call us precious, and so let each soul feel that today, not as a platitude, but as a living truth that holds each of us when nothing else does. [00:36:08] (38 seconds)  #ComfortForTheHurting

Casts out, banishes fear, and so what fills up in place of that fear that we can let go of isn't courage, isn't determination, it's trust, it's that perfect love filling that void that we've let go of when we let go of fear. Cast out fear. Something stronger than fear moves in. Perfect love that only the creator, our creator can hold for us. [01:02:27] (31 seconds)  #LoveFillsTheVoid