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Terrified Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. (Exodus 19:16-18) Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. Then they said to Moses, "You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die." And Moses said to the people, "Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin." So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was. (Exodus 20:18-21) Many times I find myself acting like the children of Israel. I see God from a distance and allow the terror of what I see to either keep me from drawing near or make me turn and run. It is a challenge to walk in faith – through the terror of what I see in the moment – so that I can "draw near (like Moses) with a true heart in full assurance of faith…" There is no reason to fear if I will simply "hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering" and remember that "He who promised is faithful!" (Hebrews 10:22-23) Walking in faith is not the absence of terror, but it IS making choices regardless of our fears. Remember what He has promised – "even if we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, He is with us." (Psalm 23) This passage doesn’t say we WON’T fear. However, if He is with us then fear does not need to dictate our choices. Perfect love is not paralyzed by fear, but presses on in spite of it. What are you facing today? What issues are terrifying because of all you see? If you are willing to move through the smoke, the clouds, and the storm, and walk in the assurance of what is unseen, you will find God in it. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God…" (Hebrews 10:31) but there truly is no better place to be!
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