Is it Sinful to be afraid?

There are some Christians who treat all fear as sin.  The line of reasoning is that since the Bible says multiple times "Do not fear" then people are sinning anytime they feel fear.  This never made sense to me.  What if a car is about to hit me?  I shouldn't feel any fear? 

I had always read these passages more as God saying, "You do not need to be afraid, my child. Trust me.  I am here.  I can give you peace in the midst of a storm."  The passages, to me, were encouraging exhortations rather than blunt rebukes. A call to faith and trust in Him.  A reminder that we don't need to be afraid and anxious all the time.  We can trust God!

Following is a video by Ed Welch from CCEF in which he speaks about these passages.  I hope it encourages you.

http://vimeo.com/67671530

The Singing Servant God

"One of the most amazing truths that I ever discovered...was that God’s greatness is displayed not in His gathering slaves around him to work for him, to show that he has enough authority to get workers, but rather his greatness is shown in making Him — Himself — available to work for others."  John Piper

The very essence of the gospel is that God, in the person of Jesus Christ, has done ALL of the work for us.  He has lived for us, waited on us, died for us and conquered death for us!  What a different idea from how I thought God to be when I was a child.  I used to imagine him as just putting up with me.  Even now, I sometimes struggle with verses like Zephaniah 3:17 which says to those who trust Him:

The Lord your God is with you,

    the Mighty Warrior who saves.

He will take great delight in you;

    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,

    but will rejoice over you with singing.

Wait a minute, God has not only done work for us, but, according to the above verse, also enjoys us?  And, if God works for us, why does the Bible talk about us working for and serving God?  Well, I believe that our "service" to Him is meant to be a delight not a drudgery.  It is not like we are trying to appease Him.  In fact, because of Jesus, God has been appeased!  

Imagine if someone did something amazing for you - like pay off a $100,000 debt.  In response to this lavish gift, you cook a meal for them, and write a thank you note and tell people how wonderful this person is.  It wouldn't feel like WORK to do these things, but, rather it would be your pleasure and joy to do these things for that person.  That is how it is with God.  Serving Him is meant to be a natural outflow and response to what He has done for us.  A delight, rather than a duty.

And the wild thing is that what God has done for us is so much more than paying off $100,000!  He has provided us with eternal joy, peace and salvation through His own pain and suffering!  And He has done it with delightful, sacrificial love!  And if I look back at that verse in Zephaniah, He actually rejoices over those who have received this gift of salvation.  He sings over us!  Not because we are so wonderful and deserve all of this, but because HE IS SO WONDERFUL and has a lavish love for us.

I am undone by this thought.  I am in awe.  The God of this Universe, whom I have sinned against in so many ways, is not just putting up with me.  Rather, in His love, He will no longer rebuke me, but DELIGHTS in me, rejoicing over me with singing.  Amazing.  Humbling.

Meditating on these thoughts brings forth grateful tears of joy.  How I love this Singing Servant God!

I have no more words.