Things that I would have liked to have known long ago.

---

 

“For the fearful.”

 

Water may defeat fire but where there is no water, fire is better controlled by fire.

 

When the scourging summer dried the prairie, a lightning bolt was enough to set the whole prairie on fire. American Indians knew well the uncontrollable force of fire and instead of running away from the fire they would make a circle of fire around them large enough to place themselves in the middle of the already burned prairie and wait for the fire to arrive and safely see it burning all around them but because of their circle there was nothing there to burn in the already burned circle.

 

In the same way a believer in danger knows how to fight fear with fear.

The word of God teaches that “The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

 

Let me first share the first interpretation to this verse with your permission.

 

When you are afraid, it is best to fear the Lord so much that there will be no fear left for anything or anyone, because the Fear of the Lord will place you in the circle already burned with nothing left to burn.

 

Let me put it in different words and use a different illustration.

 

After the barn of a farmer was burned to the ground he came to inspect the damage from the fire on his farm. He noticed in one corner of the barn a small brown pile still smoking a little. He gently kicked the bunch to kill the leftover smoke. To his amazement what he thought was an old Cowboy’s hat still burning was not a hat but a dead chicken from where several little chicks came out running unharmed.

 

Much like Jesus who does not mind comparing himself with a chicken, the chicken was burned to protect her little ones with her own life.

 

With this and many other illustrations I would like to convey the message of the love of God in Jesus who was burned so that we do not have to be burned.

Remember that salvation is to have been saved, now being saved, and shall be saved by the one who was sacrificed that we might not be sacrificed.

 

Again, when fear comes, fight fear with Fear until there is no fear left to fear anyone or anything.  “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

 

Add to that the following verse: “The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God shall stand forever.” Isaiah 40:8.

Rescue from this verse the last words.

“But the Word of our Lord shall stand forever.”

Be careful not to separate the “Word” from the “Lord” because “the Word” apart from “the Lord” is nothing. It is “The Lord who stands forever” and that is Jesus the Word of God and no one beside him. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!

 

Thank you three times, Holy Father for incarnating yourself in little boy Jesus.

Thank you, thank you thank you.

 

Gerry Gutierrez. 

 

PS. Pictures are of my grandchildren and nieces last Sunday. 

Please pray for my tailbone that cannot endure the long dialysis.