Favor: Something done or granted out of goodwill.
Fear: Concern or anxiety. Reverential awe, especially towards God.
Ever since I signed up for this trip, I have not been looking forward to going to India. I guess you could say that I feared it. From what I have been told about India, it is different from anywhere I have ever been. People have warned me about the sights that I might see and the smells I will most definitely smell. Not to mention that there are so many people there, and malaria, and probably not as safe street food. ( The street food in Thailand is pretty legit and delicious).
I decided to see what the Word has to say about fear:
Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Joshua 24:14a
You whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off”; fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:9-10
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:9-10
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7
Pause.
Our last night in Pattaya we had worship in the middle of a major red light district. At the end of this time, the team was prayed over. One of the women prayed for us and just kept saying, “favor, favor, favor, favor”..you get the point. Each time she said “favor” it would get louder and louder each time. She later explained saying she really felt the Lord saying that we are in His favor and that we should not fear India. She said that we need to choose the right “f” word.
Unpause.
As Matt Redman sings:
I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is w
I don’t need to fear India-the unknown. I fear the Lord. I believe He has sent me to India, and it’s out of obedience that I go. As one of my teammates has told me, ” You are going to learn so much these next two months that will complete the puzzle and God will reveal to you what you need to do.” I don’t need to fear the people of India, but love them with His love.
As Matt Redman sings:
I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
