Replacing fear with remembering

        Tomorrow is the anniversary of D-Day.  June 6, 1944.
        On that day around 6:30 a.m., 5,000 ships carried 175,000 Allied Troops to the southern beaches of France for the largest invasion in modern history.
        Over the course of roughly 15 minutes, 12,000 Americans died as they left their boats and waded ashore to the killing coast of Normandy.  Such carnage is simply unimaginable.
        And so is such courage.
        These young men--many of them as young or younger than our high school senior son--knew precisely the horrors they were facing.  And they understood that many of them would not live to reach those shores, let alone live to see another day.
        And yet despite what surely must have been terror and dread assaulting each of their hearts, they bravely did their duty and faced the onslaught of the enemy.
       Many survivors vividly recall hearing the messages that were broadcast over the ship intercoms in the minutes before their landing.  Things like "We shall die on the sands of France, but we will never turn back."  And "Fight to get your troops ashore.  Fight to save your ships.  And if you've got any strength left, fight to save yourself."  And the last of the messages they heard before disembarking: "Away all boats," and "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name."
       I'm sitting here in my comfortable house, in my safe city, and in my free nation, and the only response is overwhelming awe and gratitude.  Awe at such courage.  Gratitude for such sacrifice.  Awe and gratitude for young men who were willing to give their very lives in order to help defeat a vicious and evil enemy.  Such bravery stuns--and convicts--me.
       Oh Lord, forgive me for allowing fear and worry to so often control my thoughts and actions.  Fear of the future.  Fear of what others think.  Fear of failure.  Fear for our children's safety or success.  Fear of the unknown. Such fear is faithlessness.  
       Because here's the thing--our fear inevitably results from forgetting.  Forgetting Who is with us.  Forgetting Whose we are.  Forgetting all He has done for us in the past.  Forgetting what He has done to defeat our greatest enemies of sin and death.  And forgetting the glorious heavenly future He has for us, His children.  
      When we forget, we fear.  When we fear, we become faithless.  And when we are faithless, we fail to experience all that God has for us and all the ways He wanted to use us.
      So what's the antidote?  Remembering.
          Remembering God and His power and presence.
          Reminding ourselves of His Word.
          Recalling His goodness and grace to us.
          Reciting His promises...like--
      "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Ps.27:1)
      "Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)
     "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the earth." (Mt.28:20)
      "I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation.  But take heart; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
       As David Powlison says, "Park your mind on what is true."  Or as Philippians 4:8 commands us, "...whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."  
        Contemplate God's Word.  Consider His promises and His Person.  Continue to do it...and continue...and continue.  Day after day. Year after year.  On the mountains, in the valleys.  Don't just hurriedly drive by the Truth; park your mind there.
       When fear assaults, we anchor our minds on God's Truth.
       We fix our hearts and focus our minds on God and His promises which are unchangeable, true, powerful, and perfect.  We can't control the world.  We can't control other people.  We can't control our circumstances.  But we can control what we think and how we respond.
       When we control the focus of our thoughts--by replacing fear with remembering God and His promises--then we'll be able to choose how we respond in both our attitudes and our actions.
       God is always with us.  God is always for us.  God is always in control.  And God will always, always, always win the victory.
       So today, choose to replace fear with remembering Almighty God and His supernatural Word.  If we're anchored on our Father and His Truth, we'll respond with faith and courage.
       To God be the glory.