December 28,1997
Dear Jason:
In was thinking about you this morning, I think about you and your sister often, wondering how you are doing. Did you have a nice Christmas? When I was your age, I always enjoyed vacations, while I liked learning and going to school, I also enjoyed staying home.
We are renting an apartment overlooking a large lake near Mountain
City that was created by a dam which is used to generate electricity.
The water level usually fluctuates from its high in winter to
a low in summer but this year the water is very low leaving a
rim of rock showing along the shore that looks like the brown
ring around the inside of the bathtub. The water level must be
forty feet below average.
Our Landlord told me the people who control the dam spillway allowed
an usually high volume of water out of the lake this summer because
they were afraid of the effects of El Ninio. You probably heard
of this weather phenomena, a body of warm water in the Pacific
Ocean that is supposed to bring heavy rains and snow, storms,
floods, high tides, and other bad things during winter.
When I was young, I was afraid of the dark, so mother put a night
light in my room that made funny shadows on the walls. I always
thought when children grew up they wouldn’t be afraid. That
isn’t true, its just that adults are better at hiding their
fear then children.
The men at the dam were afraid El Ninio would bring so much rain
and snow that their lake would overflow so they let out too much
water. What’s going to happen if El Ninio fizzles out. Their
going to have egg on their face and an empty lake.
Their fears seem funny to people living along the shore. Fear
is irrational. When we are afraid of something, the dark, for
example, we begin to wonder of the monster under the bed is hungry
and if he eats toes and fingers.
You and I know that monsters don’t live under beds, they
prefer closets and they don’t eat toes and fingers but were
still afraid, anyway.
Did you ever wonder if Christ was afraid? When Jesus was a little
boy was He afraid of the dark? It might surprise you to know that
even as a little boy He was never afraid. How do I know, because
he said, “perfect love casteth out fear.” Jesus loved
His Father and therefore could not be afraid for love is so strong
that it can toss fear out of the window, that’s what “casteth
out” means. When we love Jesus the way He loved his Father,
fear is afraid to frighten us and will run away.
Do you remember the story of the night Christ and his disciples
were crossing a lake and a terrible storm swept out of the hills
and almost swamped the boat. The disciples were terrified but
Christ was peacefully sleeping in the back of the boat. They were
so frightened by the winds and lightnings that they cried.
When they woke Jesus he reprimanded them for being afraid then
rebuked the storm which flew away in shame before the Savior.
Jesus tells us not to be afraid because he is stronger then fear.
I’m not saying there isn’t anything to be afraid of,
for there are many fearful things in this world but Christ has
conquered them all including the monster that lives in the closet
and comes out at night.
Fear is like a mean dog who chases us down the street snapping
and snarling at our ankles. Spray its eyes with pepper gas or
hit it on the nose with a stout stick and it will turn tail and
run away. Our pepper gas or stick is Jesus Christ.
While fear is stronger then we are, Jesus is mightier then fear.
Where Christ is, fear can’t stay. When you are afraid, invite
Jesus to walk with you or stay in your room at night then fear
will slink away into its whole and be afraid.
Jesus loves you, my dear brother. He is the great fear chaser.
When fear is gnawing at your ankles, sing songs of Jesus, that’s
what he did when fear threatened him when he was living on earth.
May the Lord bless you and keep you, may the Lord make his face
to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you. Your brother in Christ.
Grandpa Benson