Do Not Fear or Be Discouraged

So we departed from Horeb and we went through all that great and terrible wilderness which you saw on the way to the mountains of the Amorites, as the Lord our God had commanded us. And then we came to Kadesh Barnea, and I said to you, "You have come to the mountains of the Amorites, which the Lord our God is giving us. Look, the Lord your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it, as the Lord God of your fathers has spoken to you; do not fear or be discouraged." (Deuteronomy 1:19–21)

When everything that fills our busy lives goes quiet and the reports turn frightening, will we trust the God who stands above it all?

A Surreal Season

I had planned to talk about consequential decisions out of Deuteronomy 1 this week, but I'm going to shift a little. We'll stay in Deuteronomy 1, because this passage has some important words for us to meditate upon and to set our hearts toward.

This week has felt almost like we're living in a movie—the word that describes it best is surreal. It is very bizarre. In some ways it's disorienting, especially because of the amount of information flying at us constantly—information that often isn't complete, isn't always right, and is sometimes contradictory. You get one thing as a tweet, another as an email, more in the news, and chaos on social media everywhere you look.

The Woodcutter's Wisdom

Looking at all of this, I was reminded of a story I first read in a little booklet by Max Lucado called The Woodcutter's Wisdom. There was an old, poor woodcutter whose most prized possession was a valuable horse. Everyone told him to sell it, but he said, "How could I sell a member of my family?"

One day the horse was gone. The villagers said, "You fool, robbers took it." He replied, "All I know is my horse is gone." Weeks later the horse returned, bringing six wild horses with it. "You're so blessed!" they said. "All I know is my horse is back." His son tried to break one of the wild horses, got bucked off, and broke his leg. "You're cursed!" they cried. "All I know is my son has a broken leg." Then a war party came through, and all the village sons were taken to war—but his son couldn't go because of his leg. "You're so blessed!" Through it all the woodcutter simply looked at what was right in front of him.

All I Know Is

So in all of this competing information, all I know is that there is a virus that has caused the complete halt of everything in our hyper-busy culture. Everything got put on Sabbath. School is on pause, professional sports are basically canceled, Disneyland is closed, and the world economy is effectively at a standstill. If you produce toilet paper, you're happier than you've ever been—though I hate to break it to you, toilet paper will not protect you from COVID-19.

All I know is a lot of people are very fearful. Maybe you're fearful because your kids are out of school and you still have work. Fearful because your 401(k) lost 40% in twenty days—it'll come back, don't sell. Fearful because your employer canceled your overtime, or because you are the employer wondering how you'll survive a month or two. Fearful because you or someone close to you is among the vulnerable. My wife works in the ICU, and they do have patients there with this virus. It is a reality and a problem, and we'll only know how big a problem as we wait and see.

Trust in the God Who Stands Above

Amidst these fear-inducing and disorienting uncertainties, I want to remind you of some important truths. Point one: we trust in God who stands above all of the things that bring fear, uncertainty, and discouragement.

We may need to speak this to ourselves. Psalm 46 was written by King David three thousand years ago during a tumultuous time—it was as if all the waves were crashing over him. Yet he reminds himself, even commanding his own soul, "Hope in God; I will yet praise you." Sometimes we need to remind ourselves to trust in God and to remind ourselves who it is we are trusting—the God who stands above all things that bring fear and discouragement.

On any given Sunday, a few dozen people here are facing trying circumstances. What's unique right now is that all of us are feeling troubled at the same time by what is happening in our nation. So among the missed truths, half-truths, untruths, and distortions swirling around, I want to offer words of truth from Scripture.

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

In the very passage where Jesus reveals Himself as the embodiment of truth—John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life"—He begins with these words:

Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. (John 14:1)

There are two verbs used three times. The first is a command—do not be troubled. In the original language it's in the imperative. But to command "don't be troubled" in a frightening moment is almost completely ineffective on its own. Imagine driving on the freeway and a tire bounces out of a truck a hundred feet in front of you. Your limbic system fires; the adrenaline dump can take thirty minutes to settle. You can't simply tell yourself, "I will not be troubled." Paul similarly commands, "Do not be anxious" (Philippians 4). All of us are very good at breaking those commands.

That's why "do not be troubled" is pointless without the rest of the verse: you believe in God, you believe also in Me. Point two: trust in God is the remedy for a troubled heart. I've learned by experience that Paul's words are true:

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6–7)

When information is hitting us constantly—Facebook, the news, Twitter, the radio, the person freaking us out in the checkout line—we need to do what Colossians 3 exhorts: set our minds on things above. Reorient your focus. Tell yourself to trust in God.

The Object of Our Trust

That word troubled means shaken together, stirred up, disturbed, unsettled, thrown into confusion. Does that describe your last 96 hours? Jesus's answer is to trust—presently, actively, in the moment, reorienting your hope back to the Lord.

The object of our trust is the important thing. People say "have faith"—faith in what? If your trust is ultimately in the President, Congress, the stock market, the World Health Organization, or the CDC, you'll probably be thrown into confusion. Don't misunderstand: those in leadership should be doing everything they can. But our ultimate hope is not in them.

I was a little discouraged recently when our Vice President was appointed to oversee the coronavirus task force, and a photo was released of him leading the team in prayer. As a pastor, I like that. What discouraged me was the response. A writer for The New York Times Magazine tweeted, "Mike Pence and his coronavirus emergency team praying for a solution. We are so screwed"—and twenty thousand people liked it. I think it's a good thing when those in the halls of power stop, even for thirty seconds, and say, "Can we pray?" That doesn't mean ignoring scientists or the medical community. But to pause and acknowledge God is, at the very least, doing what Proverbs 3:5–6 says: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

Another Leader, Another Nation

That's the long way around to Deuteronomy 1, where another leader, Moses, stands before another nation facing a challenge. About 3,400 years ago, God called Moses to bring Israel out of four hundred years in Egypt, much of it in bondage. After the plagues, they came out and headed toward the Promised Land—but first to Mount Sinai, also called Horeb, the mountain of God. They stayed two years while God gave them the law, the tabernacle, and the priesthood.

Then God said it was time to go up and possess the land He had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They took an eleven-day journey from Sinai to Kadesh Barnea, the border of blessing in what is today the Negev desert. Moses is now revisiting this story 38 years later, speaking to the children and grandchildren of that first generation, reminding them what happened:

Look, the Lord your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it... do not fear or be discouraged. (Deuteronomy 1:21)

God commanded Israel to possess their promised possession with courage and boldness—even though it meant challenges, battles, and war against enemies with strongholds. How could they be bold? By trusting in God, who had promised them the land. Verse 20: "I said to you, 'You have come to the mountains of the Amorites, which the Lord our God is giving us.'"

The Spies and the Discouraging Report

How did they respond? Verse 22: "And every one of you came near to me and said, 'Let us send men before us, and let them search out the land for us.'" Earlier God had set up a leadership structure—leaders over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens—so Moses was not a dictator. Now those leaders propose sending spies.

The plan pleased me; so I took twelve of your men, one from every tribe... and they brought back word to us, saying, "It is a good land which the Lord our God is giving us." (Deuteronomy 1:23–25)

For forty days the spies explored the land, returning with a huge cluster of grapes to show its fruitfulness. "It is a good land," they said. Nevertheless—verse 26—"you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the Lord your God; and you complained in your tents, and said, 'Because the Lord hates us...'"

Think about that. God delivered them from bondage in Egypt because He hates them? Those things don't go together. But that's where thinking goes when you're troubled: "Our brethren have discouraged our hearts, saying, 'The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to heaven; moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.'" Giants in the land.

Faith That Looks Like Foolishness

Point three: trying circumstances and discouraging reports trouble our hearts and test our faith. When you're confronted with giants and fortified strongholds, trusting in God sounds like foolishness. Part of your mind says, "I know, but this is real."

We tend to look down on ancient peoples like Israel as superstitious, with a Pollyanna-ish trust in a fairy-tale God. But the truth is they didn't have much trust at all—they're far more like us than we admit. When confronted with challenges, they didn't say, "It's okay, God will take care of it." They freaked out and got discouraged.

Then I said to you, "Do not be terrified, or afraid of them. The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son... yet, for all that, you did not believe the Lord your God." (Deuteronomy 1:29–32)

There were a few—Moses, Joshua, and Caleb—who said, "God will fight for us; let's go up." But their words must have sounded completely foolish. When Joshua and Caleb said, "Do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us; their protection has departed from them," the people probably tweeted right there, "We are so screwed."

Choosing Leaders, Trusting Reports

Trying circumstances are expected in a broken and fallen world. It's rare that we all face one together—think of the two World Wars, or 9/11—but every one of us will face difficult things: the loss of a job, a loved one, our own health. That's certain, even after COVID-19.

But where did the discouraging report come from? From the very leaders the people had selected. Verse 13 told them to "choose wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men... and I will make them heads over you." If you want leaders who lead wisely in challenging circumstances, you need to do a good job choosing them, because their reports lead to consequential decisions. In Israel's case, that decision sent them into the wilderness for 38 years.

And the Lord heard the sound of your words, and was angry, and took an oath, saying, "Surely not one of these men of this evil generation shall see the good land of which I swore to give to your fathers, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh... and Joshua the son of Nun..." (Deuteronomy 1:34–38)

God also told Moses he would not enter, "for your sakes." But the little ones, whom the people said would become victims, would inherit the land. As for that generation: "Turn and take your journey into the wilderness."

Unbelief Grieves God

Point four: unbelief grieves the heart of God and hinders His blessing. These are heavy considerations, and a good place to end is Hebrews 3, where the author goes back to this very story:

Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw My works forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation... So I swore in My wrath, "They shall not enter My rest." Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today"... For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end. (Hebrews 3:7–14)

Will holding fast our confidence in the Lord make coronavirus go away tomorrow? No. But it will give you strength, peace, joy, and perseverance in the trial.

A Witness to a Fearful World

This is also a hugely evangelistic opportunity for the church, because everyone you know is being affected, and many are fearful. If the people of God have faith and hope, and therefore display love, joy, peace, kindness, and self-control—the fruit of the Spirit—it is a powerful witness. People going through the same thing will look at you and ask, "How do you have peace?" Because we trust in God.

Yes, bad things happen. But for the Christian, what is the worst possible thing that could happen? You die and get to heaven faster than the other person. Paul said, "To live is Christ, and to die is gain." Living in America, we rarely think this way, because for the last seventy years we've tried our best to make heaven on earth—and we've gotten pretty good at it. We've got microwaves, and until last week we had toilet paper. So we've probably never thought, "to die is gain." But that's what the Bible says: the worst thing that can happen to a Christian is that they get to heaven a little quicker.

I'm not sure we really believe that. When we see the fear and hysteria that even we Christians generate, I think God may be asking, "Do you trust Me?" That's a question I've had to wrestle with this week. Sometimes I have to say, with the man whose demon-possessed son writhed before Jesus, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief."

Closing Prayer

God, would You help our unbelief today? Help us to find rest and peace in You. So many of us, when asked how we're doing, say "busy"—and so You decided to let us not be busy for a little while. I pray we would take this non-busy moment to set our hearts and minds on things above, reminded that You are seated on a throne in heaven, and that one day You will bring Your kingdom, where there will no longer be any sickness, no viruses, where You will wipe away every tear.

Give us a true faith, trust, and hope in that. Though the things of this life challenge, stretch, and weigh upon us, because we are yoked to You, let us be at peace and have rest. You said, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." May we experience that rest, may it be evident in us, and may others we interact with in the coming weeks see it and want to know, so that we can say, "Let me tell you about my Lord." God, do a work in Your church, we pray. We ask this in Jesus' name. And all those agreed said, "Amen."