Fear, Love, and a Sound Mind
This past Tuesday, my wife and I took a beautiful spring day to enjoy Cades Cove. The weather was perfect with temperatures in the mid-seventies, clear blue skies and only a slight breeze. Conditions could not have been any better to be out in nature. The Cove was not crowded, but hundreds of folks were out soaking up the sunshine, just out sitting in camp chairs enjoying a beautiful spring day.
Sometimes when we are out in the openness of nature we don't always find conditions like we had this past week. When things are different, we have to make good use of our knowledge of the natural environment; respecting the power and indiscriminate events of nature. Thunder storms, lightning strikes, cold, wind, rain, snow, fog, and hot sunshine can be a tolerable companion or a hazard that could be life-threatening. Understanding, respecting, and adapting to the environment can make an outdoor experiences fun and awesome rather than fearful and life-threatening.
I remember another time at Cades Cove many years ago biking around the Loop Road and getting caught in a thunderstorm. Rain, wind, lighting and thunder were our companions on that day. Stopping to take shelter on the porch of an old cabin and wait until the storm passed was a welcomed break and a safe haven to wait out the storm.
Sometimes when we are out in the openness of nature we don't always find conditions like we had this past week. When things are different, we have to make good use of our knowledge of the natural environment; respecting the power and indiscriminate events of nature. Thunder storms, lightning strikes, cold, wind, rain, snow, fog, and hot sunshine can be a tolerable companion or a hazard that could be life-threatening. Understanding, respecting, and adapting to the environment can make an outdoor experiences fun and awesome rather than fearful and life-threatening.
I remember another time at Cades Cove many years ago biking around the Loop Road and getting caught in a thunderstorm. Rain, wind, lighting and thunder were our companions on that day. Stopping to take shelter on the porch of an old cabin and wait until the storm passed was a welcomed break and a safe haven to wait out the storm.
Our spiritual walk likewise
has events that can seem fearsome and threatening, but it is our trust in God
that can make the difference in how we deal with such events. In 2
Timothy 1:7 Paul reminds Timothy that “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and
of love, and of a sound mind.”
Although we live
in a natural world with real dangers and unpleasant problems, God has equipped
us to deal with such things with powers of “love” and a “sound mind”. We cannot ignore the potential hazards of the
natural world nor the threats encountered in our spiritual walk. They are real, but God has equipped each of
us to understand, respect, love and deal with them as we walk along life’s
trail.
Do not live your
life in fear of natural events or earthly powers! Instead,
live confidently in the spirit of God’s power and love. Use the intellect (sound mind) he has given
you to make good judgments and decisions as you travel life’s trails.
Life is not without danger, but we need not live with anxiety and fear.
Now, let's ramble!
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