Don’t Panic God is Near
By Terry Melancon
The Post Newspaper Contributing Writer
Every day, I awake I’m amazed at what God has done. Gas prices are sky high, sickness all around, people dying from road rage and murder on every side. It’s enough to make one want to give up on life and die.
But what amazes me so much is the love God has for me. I am at a place in my life to where despite what’s going on all around me, I’m at peace. I can’t really explain the peace I have in a sentence, but only to say that is real.
Often you hear people say “trust God,” but until one gets to that place, they really can’t understand. The media tends to hype everything to another level which creates fear about everything.
Yes, what they are reporting is true, but they tend to exploit it every single day. Romans 10:17 tells us faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. So, if faith comes by hearing, then fear can also come by hearing.
When my son and daughter were babies, I would toss them in the air. At first, they would panic and were afraid. But by the second toss in the air, they realized that daddy would catch them and laughter and joy would come. They heard me say “daddy’s got you.” Well, God’s got us.
Things are bad, and the times are getting worse. Evil seems to be prevailing and looks like there’s no hope. But don’t panic: God hasn’t gone anywhere, He’s still on the throne and He sees all.
Psalm 73:3,8,16-17 reads “I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They scoff and speak wickedly concerning the oppression; they speak loftily. When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me. Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end.”
No matter how bad things look or get, we must keep our heads up and place our hope in God. The answers we need in this life for every situation comes from Him. I have this peace because I made the decision it’s all of God and nothing else.
Matthew 15:8 & 9 Jesus said these people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. In other words “they are talking loud and saying nothing”. It’s one thing to say to others that you know the God of creation and how much you love Him but it’s another thing to trust Him.
Peace comes when I take my eyes off what’s going on all around me and place my focus on Him. Matthew 6:8 Jesus said our heavenly Father already knows what I have need of before I ask, well since that’s the case why worry.
Worry and fear comes because of anxiety and insecurity. Death is inevitable, it comes to us all at one point or another. When you have a close relationship with God through your faith in Jesus Christ death is just the thing that gets you to the Father.
Walking by faith is not allowing yourself to be distracted by what’s going on around you. What we hear and see is what causes many to faint in life. A man named Peter saw Jesus one day walking on the water and asked him to allow him to do the same. Jesus said, “come,” and immediately Peter stepped out of the boat and began walking on the sea.
As Peter drew near to Jesus on the water, the winds became violent. He took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the disturbances; he became afraid and began to sink. When we’re walking by faith the storms of life will sometimes try to overtake us, but God is still nearby.
I remember when I had both my knees replaced, I got blood clots as a result each time. Only the second time the clots moved from my leg through my blood stream to my lungs. This was a frightening moment for me; the clots were moving up to my heart and possibly to my brain.
This was one of my storms, but God is so amazing. When fear tried to overtake me by what the doctors were saying immediately, I heard God say “I’m with you.” My wife and I began to recite Psalm 107:20 He sent out his word and healed them; he delivered them from their destructions.
If your marriage, finances, job, relationships, and children are out of order, give them to God. He has a solution for them all, so don’t panic. When we worry about such matters, we leave no room for God. If you’re going to pray, then don’t worry. If you’re going to worry then don’t pray. You can’t do both, you must do one or the other.
Life happens and we’re not in control even though we may think that we are, but we’re not. You may think that God is not in control. Well, think again. If you got up this morning by which means did you wake yourself up or maybe the alarm clock did. Think again.
Grace woke you and I up this morning and it’s grace that’s keeping us. God’s grace is so amazing. When you come to realize how good God is and the love that He has for you, only then will you come to know this peace that I been speaking of. Oh, the joy of knowing that God’s mercy is new every morning.
Lamentations 3:22-24 through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassion fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I will hope in Him”
Don’t panic. All is not lost. Since God is still on His throne, there is hope. Once my children concluded that daddy was going to catch them and not allow them fall, joy filled their hearts. God will catch you too if you’ll trust Him and don’t panic.
As a kid, I lived with my grandparents during the summer. They had a farm with pretty much all kinds of animals. For breakfast we would have bacon, eggs, biscuits, and fresh milk from the cows. Grandmother would send me out to collect the eggs from beneath the hens. One morning there were no eggs, so I said, “Grandma, what you going to do?”
She said give it a minute or two. Later. I went out and there were eggs under the hens. I asked my grandmother how did you know, and she replied, “God knows.” Even then, she was teaching me to trust God. The eggs were on the way and everything you need is on the way.
“Don’t panic God is near”
