“I definitely can’t do this. Do you think I can back out?” I was talking with my sister the night before I left for a country in Central Asia, picturing myself dodging bullets and jumping into trenches. I felt the dread in the pit of my stomach, the elevated beating of my heart, the tensing of my muscles and the sweaty palms. I was afraid.

Then I landed in Central Asia. I met its kind, gentle, loyal people. I ate their food, drank endless cups of their tea, and experienced their protection. My fear faded in the face of reality and I realised the source of my fear: ignorance.

I wonder how often our fear in Australia has the same source? We hear only the smallest snippets of world news in the media, which prioritises sensation over accuracy. We discuss Islam and its dangers at length in our Christian circles, but how many of us have taken the time to ask an actual Muslim what Islam means to them? How many of us hear only of arrests for suspected terrorist activity, and never hear the follow-up that those charges were dismissed? Perhaps we too fear bullets where the reality is cups of tea.

That’s not to say that, at times, there aren’t legitimate reasons to fear. Having lived in an extremist Muslim country, I can testify to this better than most. Last year, a university lecturer identified my blood as halal for anyone who spilled it, promising them an eternal reward for doing so. When I was called into the security meeting to discuss that threat, I felt the familiar dread settle in the pit of my stomach. I am grateful to work with an organisation that recognised this threat and acted to protect me. As Christians, we are to steward God’s resources wisely, including the lives of his followers.

At the same time, as I felt the sweat on the palms of my hands, I was reminded of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, so afraid that he was sweating blood and pleading with God to remove the cup of suffering. While I wasn’t at the point of sweating blood, I certainly identified with Jesus’ experience of being afraid. So his response was instructive for me. It left no room for hatred. Despite his fear, Jesus chose the way of love. He went to the cross and there won salvation for all who would give him their allegiance, including his persecutors.

As Christians in Australia, we are not in the same position as Jesus. We are not headed towards certain or even likely execution. Let’s remember that in Australia we are still more likely to die from falling off a ladder than from a terrorist attack. Still, the government has raised the threat level for Australia, and so we sometimes feel afraid, just like Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane.

So let’s respond like Jesus did as well: with love. Let’s quiet the insults hurled on the street at a woman with a headscarf or the man with a beard. Let’s invite the Muslim family over the road for dinner and make sure the food is halal. Let’s advocate for the humane treatment of refugees. Let’s allow the cross to shape our behavior, knowing that the outcome is secure. Let’s rest, knowing that even at the bleakest moment of history, God was accomplishing the great act of his kingdom, and is doing no less now.

— written by Ruth Adams*

I have never experienced sheer and utter terror, the threat of death by beheading/gun shot/bombing. The mere thought of it worries me, as my family and I live here in the Middle East. We are seeing people fleeing for their lives because of war and oppression. A couple of weeks ago, I received an email from a brother living under trying circumstances in the Middle East. He describes in crushing detail what his life will become. That is, he fears he will be another victim of war as rockets bomb buildings around him. Our brother is facing death. This seems to be a daily occurrence for him.

In one sense, it is natural to fear these things. Fear is a natural part of life in a fallen and broken world. We may not be under the threat of bombs or war, but there may be other fears that we have in our lives. It may not be something as severe as a terrorist threat, but it could be something traumatic still.  One of your loved ones may be sick. Your job might be unstable. It could even be that you fear you are not a Christian.

But what I want to say to you, is that we should never let fear consume us. That is, when we are faced with fears, it hangs overhead like a dark cloud. It is inevitable that we will face fears sooner or later. But we cannot allow it to control us and the lives of those around us.

Even with these terror threats in Australia, we should never allow for this to consume us with fear.

So what about these terror threats? Who do we actually fear? What should we be doing in light of fear?

The antidote to fear is the love of God. Let us not dwell in fear. Hear what Paul says:

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38–39 ESV)

Paul describes things that cannot separate us from the love of God. This includes the things we fear. How can we overcome fear? The love of God overcomes fear because of Jesus’ death at the cross. We should only be fearful of things of this world if there is no hope afterwards. But the death and resurrection of Jesus shows us that there is hope after death. We should not fear death nor fear those who threaten us with death. Death is not the final answer. Instead, love is the final answer. Not just any love but divine love. Love from above shown through Jesus Christ.

And this love of God would drive us to pray for those who are our enemies and for those who persecute us. Remember that we too were enemies of God and it is by his grace that we are saved. So will we pray for our enemies? Will we pray for those who persecute us?

— written by David Lebron*

* Names have been changed for protection.