One of
the early games that many parents play with their children involves a fake
scare. Dad hides his face behind his hands and suddenly reveals himself while
saying, “Boo!” The child giggles at this silliness.
Being
frightened is a fun game until the day when the child experiences a real scare.
Then it’s no laughing matter. The first real scare often involves separation
from a parent. The child wanders away innocently, moving from one attraction to
another. But as soon as she realizes she is lost, she panics and lets out a
loud cry of alarm. The parent immediately comes running to reassure the child
that she is not alone.
As we
get older, our fake scares become sophisticated—scary books, movies, amusement
park rides. Being scared is so invigorating that we may begin taking bigger
risks for bigger thrills.
But
when a real scare comes, we may realize that we, like the ancient Israelites
(Isa. 30), have wandered from the One who loves and cares for us. Recognizing
that we are in danger, we panic. Our call for help does not require
sophisticated words or a well-reasoned defense, just a desperate cry.
Like a loving parent, God responds quickly for He longs to have us live in the protection of His love where we need never be afraid.
Trusting God’s faithfulness helps dispel our fearfulness. (RBC)
