Do Fears Have Ears?

Jesus! the Name that charms our fears,
  That bids our sorrows cease;
‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
  ‘Tis life, and health, and peace.

O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing
By: Charles Wesley, 1707-1788

Listen as you read.  This version is from Tyler Andrews.

Little strikes more fear in many people’s hearts than the very sight of a snake.  When they consider the prospect of sitting in front of one in at attempt to charm it like it is done in India, for example, their pulse increases, their palms become sweaty, and they all but pass out.  And for good reason.  Snakes can be very dangerous.

When we learn a little more about these street performers, we learn that for many of them the fangs have been removed, or the lips sewn shut.  Changes the game a bit.  But I am still pretty certain I remain uninterested in trying it.

Jesus, the Fear Charmer

When I first head these words years ago, I think I mistakenly thought the phrase here was “calms our fears” which actually also makes sense.   But frankly it is not nearly as profound as the statement that Jesus charms, or controls, our fears.  The meaning here implies to control or achieve as if by magic.  While Jesus uses no magic when He deals with our fears, there is absolutely something supernatural that occurs.  It is a powerful image, this one of Jesus being in control of our fears as they raise their terrible heads in our lives.  Reminds me of the disciples in the midst of the storm…

Mark 4:35-41 tells of the storm that was inducing fear in the disciples.  The threat was so real they thought they might lose their lives, but Jesus had slept through it all.  What an interesting commentary on His apparent lack of concern.  How we often mistake Jesus’ lack of intervention for lack of care, when He might be simply waiting for us to ask.

When the disciples finally wake Him and ask Him if He cares, not to calm the storm mind you, Jesus charms, or calms, the storm with “Peace!  Be Still!”  Wow!  Do you believe that happened?  Do you believe Jesus can speak with the same authority into your lives?  Or are you quietly convinced He does not care about the situation you are in the middle of, or the fear it is evoking in you?

Jesus cares and He wants to convince you of that.  Ask Him to speak “Peace! Be Still!” over the snake/fear that is raising it’s head in your life.  His statement may have a more profound effect on your heart that the situation, but either way, He will charm that fear.  What’s stopping you from asking?  Thankfully, Jesus often does wait for us to ask, but simply has compassion on us, like the widow who had lost her son in Luke 7:11-17.

Jesus the Sorrow “Ceaser”

Not Caeser, but Ceaser.  Yes, I made that up, but you see what I did there don’t you?  Jesus is an autocrat, having absolute power over even our sorrows, but rather than demanding they cease, He sometimes bids them to cease by inviting us into a different response as He demonstrates His ability to cease their cause.

In the Luke passage above, Jesus comes across a funeral procession.  The dead man is the only son of the widow in the passage.  When Jesus sees her, He has compassion on her, and invites her, “Do not weep” before He has done anything to change the circumstance.

Do you ever wonder how much time passes between the line of Scripture sometimes?  The very next line tells us “Then Jesus…”  The time between “Do not weep” and “Then Jesus…” is an unknown.  Inject yourself into that gap, because truth be told, you have actually found yourself there many times without knowing it.

Jesus was speaking “Do not weep” into your soul, He was bidding your sorrows to cease.  There are seemingly competing definitions of “bid”, with one being command, and another invite.  I believe both were active in those moments for you, for me, for the widow.  Jesus was commanding sorrow to cease, and inviting her, and us, into that reality in our experience.  I do not think she needed much convincing as her son sat up and she held his face tenderly in her hands.

What sorrows is Jesus bidding to cease for you today?  Do you need convincing?  Thank Him that there are times when you do not even ask, and He is already bidding.

Do Fears, or Sorrows, Have Ears?

Did you know that even though snakes can sense sound, they lack the outer ear that would allow them to hear the music of the charmer?  Instead they follow the movements of instrument and charmer considering them a threat, and responding to them as a predator.  Fears and sorrows do not have ears either.  Instead they follow the direction of the Jesus, and respond to Him as One with power over them.  With that in mind, let them respond accordingly, and you determine to do the same.  

You have the advantage of being able to hear the name of Jesus.  Let it be music in your ears.  Music which stills fears and sorrows delivers life and health and peace.

Jesus, charm my fears and bids my sorrows cease, until the music of Your matchless name ushers a wave of life and health and peace into my beleaguered soul.  Help me to realize You have already accomplished all this and I simply need to believe.  

Joyful Thinking!

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Subscribers enjoy this podcast! Everyone else, the transcript below.

Podcast 3.2 Transcript

Welcome to Thursday Thoughts at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s think about this.

Jesus! the Name that charms our fears,

Matthew 8:26ESV

And (Jesus) said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

The disciples found themselves in a storm that was threatening to swamp their little boat, all the while Jesus was asleep.  When they woke Him, He spoke to the winds and they obeyed. What storm are you facing today that you need to see Jesus calm?  Will you give Him your fears to charm?

  That bids our sorrows cease;

Luke 7:13ESV

And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”

Jesus spoke these words to a widow whose only son has just died.  Might seem strange if we did not read the next lines which tell us Jesus raises her son back to life.  He still has that kind of authority today. In our sorrows, He invites us to trust Him and His purposes.  What sorrows might Jesus be inviting you to cease today?

‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears,

Mark 2:17ESV

…Jesus…said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

And how glad we are that He did!  So glad that it is as if His name were actually music in our ears.  Can you remember the first time you understood the significance of Jesus name’ and all that it accomplishes?  Give Him praise for making a house call so you, sin sick as you were, could have your heart healed.

  ‘Tis life, and health, and peace.

John 16:33ESV

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Peace is not the absence of fear or sorrow, peace is the presence of God. He is with us and in His name we find everything we need. Thank Jesus that you can find life and health and peace in Him even when the things in your world may be sick and dying and troubled.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more.