I Samuel 23:17 And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth. (KJV)

I am continually amazed at God’s timing. A fear not lesson on how things appear in the weeks leading up to the time of year filled with costumes, scary images, and uncertainty especially if you are afraid of not knowing…….which is pretty common. Things are NOT always as they appear! We agree on that but does this make it any less unnerving?

I love the Broadway smash Phantom of the Opera. It is a love story, and its plot is a lesson in not accepting circumstances based solely on what you can see. One of the songs of the soundtrack is Masquerade. This is the lesson in this verse.

(Masquerade/Why So Silent)

Jonathan, son of king Saul, best friend of David, and the supposed heir apparent to Israel’s throne, is blessed with amazing God-given insight into a situation that appears as if there is no way it will be as God has said: David WILL BE king over Israel. Jonathan reminds an overwhelmed and weary David that God has chosen David to be successor to Israel’s throne. Jonathan accepts he will not reign and promises to stand next to David and serve him in his God ordained kingly role. Jonathan goes on to say, “my father (Saul) knows this too!”

Situations in our lives leave us filled with more questions than answers and this can lead to doubt the birthplace of fear. This is especially true when we know God has shared His will for our life and then life gets so twisted there seems to be NO WAY it could possibly work out as God said. Welcome doubt’s dialogue: “I must have been mistaken.” “Was this what I wanted so much I made it God’s will;” “I must have some sin in my life, but WHAT?” “What makes me think God would use me in His plan?” The mental battle rages and fear creeps into our soul, clouds our mind, depresses our spirit, wearies our bones.

Enter God’s reassurance through the voice of another saying, “FEAR NOT, you are not wrong. God’s word will be fulfilled but what you got wrong was how, when, where, and that it would be without trouble, resistance, confrontation, or war.” Grace given. If the Lord has told you something dear friends, hang on to it regardless of how it appears. (Note: I am talking to myself right now!)

He will bring His word to pass, not just for Biblical patriarchs but for Y-O-U! Fear not, it is going to be as He said! (Remember, Moses sat in Midian for 40 years before it was time to lead Israel out of Egypt; Jesus was a carpenter for 30 years before it was time to start preaching, Joseph went from being a teen to mid-adulthood before God reconciled his family and there are many more examples in Scripture…………sigh…..…….I know this time thing is not what you wanted to hear. Me either! God’s time, God’s way, God’s glory…..for His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8).

Masked and snorkeled, watching my air bubbles rise,

Yvonne