What Are We Afraid Of?

I spent last week at the National Worship Leaders Conference.  It was a great week of worship and learning and fun.

The printed and stated theme of this year’s conference was “In Remembrance of Me”.  However, a sub-theme emerged almost from the first speaker and carried throughout the weekend.  The sub-theme was “fear”.

Nearly every worship leader talked and sang about their profound fear, some even talking about how fear had grown so large in their life they were nearly paralyzed.  One communicated that his fear, thought to be contained by his own life, was picked up by his daughter.

Though the theme was “remember”, a position I usually associate with the past, many of the speakers chose to talk about Heaven and the “not-yet”.

Fear and Heaven.  Admittedly I didn’t make the connection until talking with my pastor.  As I recounted this strong emphasis on experiencing fear and the desire to experience Heaven, he reminded me people have been dealing with their fears this way through the ages.

From African Spirituals, many focused on being delivered from a painful present and achieving the Promised Land, to the Left Behind series’ slant on the coming age, people cope with distress, depression, disaster, etc. by projecting their attention to a distant and yet unrealized better time.  “Today is bad…real bad.  But tomorrow is coming.  Keep your eyes on tomorrow.”

As a Christian, I am looking forward to the Kingdom coming on Earth as it is in Heaven.  But, I affirm that Kingdom has actually already broken into the present with the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.  In Him the new has begun…it is not complete…but we live now (the already) as if it has all been accomplished (the not yet).  We don’t dismiss the present, as disturbing as it often is.  We don’t have to wait for some future event to spark the recreation of all things.  We don’t have to ignore the reality of today as we dream of a better tomorrow.  And perhaps best of all, we don’t have to be afraid.  Why?  Because sin and death have been overcome.  Grace and love have won the day.  Jesus is victorious.  Heaven is here now.

I’m not sure why, but I didn’t get asked to speak at the National Worship Leaders Conference. I didn’t lead a small group break out session or sing any songs to the 1,700 men, women and children present.  But if I had the opportunity, I would have read from Joshua.  I would have quoted Paul.  And since you and I are here now, I’ll share with you.