THESE words were almost a constant petition in the public prayers of the late worthy Mr. George Forrest, Brucefield, Ontario, whom some of the earlier deputies to Canada had the privilege of meeting. The wider our experience and the older we grow the more do these words of this worthy man gain in meaning and applicability to the varying situations in which we so often find ourselves on life’s great journey. Especially do they make an appeal to us in the situation in which we find ourselves as a nation. The Allied Nations are in deadly grips with their Enemies and while that which thousands anticipated has not been realised yet there is a dread gnawing at the hearts of multitudes that the future may realise their worst fears. It is well to remember in this connection that it is a general experience that anticipated calamities have generally not materialised along the lines anticipated and it is well this is so. In mercy the Omnipotent One has placed a veil between our eyes and the events of the future so that we might not be altogether unmanned for duty when called to face staggering events. Now, of all the multitudes who are finding themselves in the situation we have described there are many who, because of the gracious favour of heaven, can fall back on promises and covenant engagements that assure them all is well. For this people God has pledged His faithfulness and truth that it will be well with them in the day of great trouble—”We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. viii. 28) and again—“When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour” (Is. xliii. 2, 3). Is not all this pledged in words enshrined in heavenly beauty?—“For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee . . . . In righteousness shalt thou be established; thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear; and from terror; for it shall not come near thee” (Is. liv. 10, 14).
It is a remarkable fact that there is no emotion of a distracting or distressing nature which is countered with so many promises to rob it of its benumbing and paralysing effects. One has only to consult a concordance to find the verification of this statement. Let him run his eye down over the passages of Scripture under the heading—“Fear not”—and if we are not mistaken he will be greatly surprised at how often such promises are given or exhortations addressed to those who were in need of them. How often were these words “fear not” on the lips of the Saviour while He tabernacled among men: “Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul” (Matt. x. 28)—“Fear ye not, therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows” (Matt. x. 31)—“And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men” (Luke v. 10)—“But when Jesus heard it, He answered him [Jairus], saying, Fear not; believe only, and she shall be made whole” (Luke viii. 50)—“Fear not therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows” (Luke xii. 32). Again, when He rose from the dead He said to John lying at His feet as one dead overcome with the vision of His Saviour in His glorified state, “Fear not; I am the first and the last; I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Rev. i. 17, 18). Who will ever be able to tell all the “fears” which were stilled by our Lord’s gracious words not only at the time they were uttered but to the present day and how many fears they will yet still until He comes again in the clouds of Heaven?
Fear entered into the world early in the history of our race and is incident to man in his fallen state. The first record of “fear” is found in the words: “I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Gen. iii. 10). It was thus sin which brought “fear” into the world and it has followed the committal of sin to a lesser or greater degree ever since. None is exempt from “fear.” True, some are not so subject to it as others and may not feel its paralysing effect to the same degree but none is altogether beyond the field of its operations. It is an emotion which Satan has used with tremendous effect. Peter, mindful of his own unforgettable experience, thus warns others: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (I. Pet. v. 8). Before it the natural boldness of Peter fled and he became an easy prey to the devil.
The “fears” of which we have been speaking are to be distinguished from what is described in Scripture as “the fear” of the Lord. This “fear” is highly commendable and is described as “the beginning of wisdom,” “clean,” “enduring forever,” “hates evil,” “a fountain of life.” It belongs to the children of God and is of a filial nature.
Among the many “fears” which harass the children of men there are some which are of a purely imaginary nature. The fact that they are imaginary does not make them any the less easy to be borne, especially by those of a strongly imaginative nature, who often are not only a trouble to themselves but to others. To fears of this kind the best antidote is the application of a little common sense. There are other fears, however, which require a more powerful remedy. Among these may be mentioned those fears which harass the Lord’s people as to their spiritual state. Some have had to pass through distressing experiences are they got deliverance. Others, again, like Bunyan’s Mr. Fearing are distressed with worrying thoughts that they will never see the Face of Him who was hanged on the tree for them. They spend much time looking within and things there they find are far from what they should be. They then conclude that the work of grace was never really begun or things would not be as they are. Discoveries are made which they never expected to make—no progress seems to be made in the life of holiness and they begin to write hard things against themselves. Ministers find it difficult to bring relief to such cases but it sometimes happens in the preaching of the Word a message comes to the distressed and sets them free. Some of the old divines were divinely taught masters in solving the problems that presented themselves to the minds of the Lord’s people and awakened fears in their hearts.
Sometimes these fears arose from anticipated trials which they never met and difficulties they were never called upon to solve. We are told that the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration “Feared as they entered into the cloud” (Luke, ix. 34). It was natural that it should be so. Have not we, ourselves, at some time or other in entering a dark cloud in God’s providential dealing “feared” as we entered into it? What was behind the blackness which was filling our heart with nameless dread? Who could tell? Perhaps we would be crushed never to rise again. Perhaps we would meet what would try our faith, hope and love and what if it should happen what we thought was faith, hope and love would fail in the day of trial? These thoughts may at times hold the mind and heart captive. But let us never forget there was never a cloud the entrance into which had less reason to create fear than this one. It was while in that cloud they heard the voice saying: “This is my beloved Son: hear Him.”
Many of the fears experienced by the Lord’s people arise from their limited knowledge and their misunderstanding of the divine purposes. Such were some of the fears experienced by Jacob, Joseph, David, etc. But though the clouds were dark yet, as Cowper so well puts it, they “are big with mercy, and shall break in blessings” on their heads. We cannot hide from ourselves that dark clouds are over our heads. A blind kind of optimism will not meet the situation. Happy are those who can sing from the heart:
Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place
In generations all,
Before thou ever hadst brought forth
The mountains great or small.—
—Ps. xc. 1-2 (Metrical Version).