{"id":10390,"date":"2016-07-27T09:51:01","date_gmt":"2016-07-27T13:51:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=10390"},"modified":"2016-07-27T09:52:11","modified_gmt":"2016-07-27T13:52:11","slug":"worship-wednesday-fear-is-easy-love-is-hard-jason-gray","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=10390","title":{"rendered":"Worship Wednesday – Fear Is Easy, Love Is Hard – Jason Gray"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Blog<\/a>Photo Credit: BestOfPicture<\/a><\/p>\n

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. – 1 John 4:18<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment. – 2 Timothy 1:7<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Fear and love. Over the last two weeks, we’ve heard a lot about these two states of heart and mind. Well, if we’ve followed the conventions of the two major political parties in the US…. Whether we’ve watched on TV or not, the messages of both conventions have blasted our newsfeeds. What does one believe about any of it?<\/p>\n

One convention (and political party and candidate) is purportedly all about fear. The other is all about love. One sees the solution to fear comes with building walls. The other sees the solution to our nation’s problems is love. Big fear = Big walls, guns, bluster. Big love = Big government, inclusion (unless maybe you look and think like me). Gone are the days, in both conventions, when God is mentioned in light of how we are meant to do government and treat our neighbors (both near and far).<\/p>\n

Sidebar: Regarding fear, John Piper<\/a> does talk about the importance of a certain type of temporary fear. “The painful fear, the guilty fear, the craven fear, the humiliating fear \u2014 all such fear will one day be taken way. But only in the way God intends. And in his time. We should not be done with it in the wrong way, or too soon.<\/em><\/p>\n

Here is the way C. S. Lewis puts it:<\/em><\/p>\n

Perfect love, we know, casteth out fear [1 John 4:18<\/a>]. But so do several other things \u2014 ignorance, alcohol, passion, presumption, and stupidity.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is very desirable that we should all advance to that perfection of love in which we shall fear no longer; but it is very undesirable, until we have reached that stage, that we should allow any inferior agent to cast out our fear.<\/strong> (\u201cThe World\u2019s Last Night\u201d<\/a> in C. S. Lewis: Essay Collection and Other Short Pieces<\/em>, 51)” – John Piper<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I wasn’t revved by the one convention’s soberness, nor was I wooed by the other convention’s frivolity. The jokes just weren’t funny, but everyone there was laughing.<\/p>\n

Until the reality seemed to sink in for the supporters of a minority candidate, that it might be over…and the tears flowed.\"Blog<\/a>\"Blog<\/a>Photo Credit: FoxNews, PressDemocrat<\/a><\/p>\n

I actually felt some of their pain.<\/p>\n

What is a follower of Christ to do?<\/p>\n

Scripture makes it very clear that we are not to give into worldly fear. Scripture also convicts us that love is the solution – not the love of government, or a political party, or like for like. For us as Christ followers, we are called to love…even those who don’t agree with us, even our enemies. This kind of love is extremely costly – it’s the kind of love Jesus taught us through his life…and through his death.<\/p>\n

We’re not meant to give into a fear that builds walls, nor are we to clamor for a love that costs us nothing…a love that comes out of government and not out of our own skin.<\/p>\n

During a season in this country, when we’re being hammered with media messages that divide us, may we as the followers of Christ unite – not by political party or by our own offended or soothed sensibilities. May we unite in keeping our eyes on God when we fear, and apply our lives to truly loving – not just people like us but all peoples. Not just looking to an outside agency to “show the love”, but to extend ourselves to that loving…as we’ve experienced in the God of love.<\/p>\n

Worship<\/a> with me with this song from Jason Gray<\/a>‘s album A Way to See in the Dark<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Turn on the T.V. for the evening news
\nThey got plenty to fear and nothing to do
\nAnother somebody who’s gone too far
\nMakes you want to put up your guard
\nFear is easy, love is hard<\/strong><\/div>\n
So we draw up another dividing line<\/strong>
\n We label each other and we choose a side<\/strong>
\n Peace could come at quite a cost<\/strong>
\n So we won’t build a bridge across<\/strong>
\nFear is easy, but love is hard<\/div>\n
Fear will leave you hiding in the dark
\nBut love will bring a light into your heart
\nSo do not be afraid, do not be afraid<\/div>\n
I’m sorry baby is what he should’ve said
\nBut she wouldn’t listen even if he did
\nThey’ll die without forgiveness soon
\nBut no one wants to make a move
\nWhen fear is easy and love is hard<\/div>\n
Fear will leave you hiding in the dark
\nBut love will bring a light into your heart
\nSo do not be afraid, do not be afraid<\/div>\n
It’s hard to bring your heart to a world that can break it<\/strong>
\n To offer love to those you’re afraid will forsake it<\/strong>
\n But a well-defended heart is always looking for a fight<\/strong>
\n In a lonely war against an endless night<\/strong>
\n But love can bring a light<\/strong><\/div>\n
Fear will leave you hiding in the dark
\nBut love will bring a light into your heart
\nSo do not be afraid<\/div>\n
It comes down to a simple choice<\/strong>
\nShouting devils or a still small voice
\nOne is spreading fear and dread
\nOh but love has always said
\nDo not be afraid
\nDo not be afraid
\nDo not be afraid
\nDo not be afraid.*<\/div>\n

\"Blog<\/a>Photo Credit: Growing In His Grace<\/p>\n

I love the truth in Paul’s writing to Timothy. God doesn’t mean for us to fear what surrounds us, what seems to loom ahead, or what has happened in the past. He means for us to gather ourselves, as His children, to act with the power He’s given us, to love with the example He’s shown us, and to think, (and reason together), with sound minds. Sound minds. We can think through and manage this election year if we keep our wits and guard our hearts, with faith unblemished in a God “whose arm is not too short to save!”<\/strong> (Isaiah 59:1<\/a>)<\/p>\n

*Lyrics to Fear Is Easy, Love Is Hard<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Fear or Love? Responding to Terrorism Like Jesus<\/em> – Nicole Simpson – Christ & Pop Culture<\/a><\/p>\n

Responding to the Tragedy in This World<\/em> – Growing In His Grace<\/a><\/p>\n

YouTube – Chris Tomlin – Whom Shall I Fear?<\/em> [God of Angel Armies<\/em>] – Lyrics<\/a><\/p>\n

\"BLog<\/a>Photo Credit: Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Photo Credit: BestOfPicture There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. – 1 John 4:18 For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment. – 2 Timothy 1:7 Fear and love. Over the last two weeks, we’ve heard a lot about these … Continue reading Worship Wednesday – Fear Is Easy, Love Is Hard – Jason Gray<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"yes","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3396,926,2126,1705,1618,183,3208,50,910,903,33,18,1732,795,2611,1178,1102,47,203,946],"tags":[3486,3489,37,3488,3491,1527,553,1835,1117,211,3490,855,3469,2850,3487,49],"class_list":["post-10390","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-america","category-attending-or-focus","category-community","category-conversations","category-courage","category-culture-religion","category-finishing-strong","category-god","category-gospel","category-grace","category-inspired","category-jesus","category-leadership","category-love-2","category-love-your-neighbor","category-sacrifice","category-social-media","category-wednesday-worship","category-word-of-god","category-worship","tag-american-politics","tag-big-government","tag-c-s-lewis","tag-conventions","tag-election-year","tag-fear","tag-jason-gray","tag-jesus","tag-john-piper","tag-love","tag-love-is-hard","tag-perfect-love","tag-political-parties","tag-presidential-election","tag-terrorism","tag-worship"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pauPAB-2HA","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10390","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10390"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10390\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10415,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10390\/revisions\/10415"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10390"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10390"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10390"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}