Clothesline 237 "Fear"

2/21/2025

His name is Martin. We met him last week in Busch Gardens. Martin has a lovely smile, even though he is blind…totally blind. He said he’s from the Netherlands and had just come from visiting friends in Miami. He rode with us from the hotel over to Busch Gardens, and he was excited about going on the rides. Oh…and did I mention that he… is… blind??? Joel and I went to the shows, rode the train and our phones recorded almost 14,000 steps as we walked around enjoying the animals and the landscaping. But rides? Not a chance! I’m too afraid.

Then…there’s Shaun. I’ve known him and his parents for twenty years. He’s in his late thirties Before Christmas near his home in Seattle, he was in a terrible accident. He was hospitalized for several weeks with serious head trauma and he had multiple surgeries. He was given a fifteen percent chance of survival. Yet today, he is walking and talking, although he is still having memory issues. His mother has been by his side from the first. His father joined them a short time later. The doctors expect it will be four months before they can even consider bringing him back to Florida. Can you even imagine what’s going through their minds? Surely, they are afraid…

And finally…there’s Peter. He was with his friends on their fishing boat. Fishing is their livelihood. They catch, cut, clean and sell fish. That’s how they live. Seems simple enough. But this particular night, they catch nothing! All night they fish…and catch nothing! When they come ashore, they are none too happy. An entire night wasted with nothing to show for it. They notice some commotion on the shore. A man called Jesus is preaching. He sees Peter and his boat, and he asks to use the boat as a pulpit! Peter doesn’t seem interested but he accommodates Jesus’ request. They row out a little, Jesus teaches the crowd, and his work is done. Perhaps to thank Peter for his hospitality, he conjures up a few fish around the boat and tells Peter to throw out his net. Turns out, more than a few fish are caught, so many that their boat begins to sink! And what happens next, is the real reason for Jesus’ presence on Peter’s boat. Peter realizes this event isn’t about the catching of a lot of fish; it’s about Jesus’ invitation to Peter and his friends to join him in “catching people.” I wonder…were they afraid, leaving their livelihood behind, not know what the future would hold for them?

Fear. We all live with it at different times in our lives. Martin…Shaun…his parents…you and me…all prone to fear. But God is bigger than our fear. God raised the bar on Martin’s other senses in order for him to function in the world. Shaun is young and strong and with the prayers of people all over the world, and the support of his faithful parents, God’s plan will unfold in ways we cannot imagine. And Peter? Thanks to Peter’s example, you and I are living in a faith that will bring us through anything in this life. All things work together for good for those who love God…nothing can separate us from the love of God. (Rom. 8:26, 39)