I Do Not Fear

Scripture: Psalm 118:6 – “With the Lord on my side I do not fear. What can mortals do to me?” (NRSVUE)

As a pastor, I am familiar with many of the reasons why people do not attend church or become active in religious activities. Some people don’t have the time. Some people don’t get anything out of it. Some don’t think church membership is necessary to be a good citizen or a kind person. Some don’t believe in God or are “spiritual but not religious.” Some think religion is irrelevant in a secular world. Some have been hurt by people in churches and never want to go back. Some see church teachings as judgmental and cruel. Some look at abuse and fraud scandals and are disgusted by the hypocrisy of supposedly “good people.” These alone are difficult obstacles for churches to overcome if they want to grow and be active parts of their communities.

And now we add fear to the list. Like many, I was shaken up by the mass shooting event in the Grand Blanc Township Mormon church. Four people were killed, eight were injured and the church building was set on fire. My heart aches for the victims and their families. A month prior, an attack on a children’s mass at the Church of Annunciation in Minneapolis left two children dead and eighteen children and three elders injured. I believe there have been ten shootings at places of worship in the last four years alone. Some of these were the result of church members being caught in the crossfire of a domestic dispute, but many, including the one on Sunday, seemed motivated by anti-religious hatred.

People are afraid of coming to church because they might be shot. Despite your feelings on the issue, it is also true that many do not come because they are afraid of ICE agents. This breaks my heart, because faith is how we can overcome fear and find peace in our hearts. Now is when we need church the most.

Our lives seem to be fractured and spinning out of control. There seem to be threats coming from all corners. Unfortunately, this is a common experience throughout human history. In ancient Israel, a marauding army, a greedy king, or deceitful neighbors could take everything away from you. But the people still had faith that God was with them. In just one example of many, Psalm 118 says, “With the Lord on my side I do not fear. What can mortals do to me?”

The Lord is on our side. Remember that. It is important not to put ourselves or our loved ones in danger, but it is also important to stand up and support each other in our times of fear. For those motivated by hate, the collapse of a religious community is the greatest victory they can hope for. We need to demonstrate our compassion and support for each other now more than ever.

Fear is the natural response to times like this, for there is much to be afraid of. But your life can be more than fear. I pray that you will feel God’s love in life and that you might share your hope with others who are afraid. Together, we prove wrong those who think churches are hypocritical or irrelevant. Those gathered to love can be the most powerful force in the world.

Prayer: Lord, in the times when I feel afraid and powerless, whisper hope in my ear and make me strong to love again. Amen.