There’s a cliche out there where people call extremely intense movies “nail-biters”. Well when I watched “Jurassic World” for the first time it was no cliche – I found myself literally biting my nails in anticipation as the dinosaurs wreaked havoc.
Though I’ve written before about how disappointing sequels and remakes can be, “Jurassic World” exceeded my wildest expectations.
I rarely get scared during movies. I don’t even bother seeing a lot of horror movies; not because they’re too scary for me, but because they’re not scary enough.
But I was literally on the edge of my seat as Chris Pratt fought valiantly alongside a T-rex. My nails cut into my wife’s hand as I watched the raptors’ claws attack the guests at the park. “Jurassic World” was so well done that it actually gave me goosebumps and had me jumping around out of fear.
Now it’s obvious the Indominus Rex, the terrifying dinosaur which causes so much chaos in “Jurassic World”, isn’t really alive.
In fact it’s not even a real dinosaur. And of course the threat of a dinosaur attack probably isn’t coming around in this lifetime (fingers crossed).
So why did something fake give me such a fright? If I was being honest I’d tell you fake thing things scare me all the time.
I’m not a “nervous Nellie” walking around on eggshells terrified of black cats and broken glass. But I do feel real, undeniable fear everyday.
I feel the fear of screwing something up at my job. The fear of hurting my wife. The fear of missing out on opportunities and wasting my life. The fear of disappointing God.
When I really think about it though those fears pose about as much of a real threat in my life as an Indominus Rex.
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18)
Though my fears are often crippling, when I remember this verse my fears don’t seem as real anymore.
Perfect love drives out fear. Five of the most powerful words in The Bible. We all get scared of things everyday. But God tell us these fears have no power over us.
Fear has to do with punishment. We fear because we think we will receive the punishment we deserve for our imperfect actions. But because we are covered in God’s perfect love there is nothing to be afraid of. With His perfect love and forgiveness God has driven out any need to fear.
The one who fears is not made perfect in love. Yet even when we commit this verse to heart the fear still seeps into our lives. How could it not when we live in a world where we don’t just fear the dinosaurs in the movie but also the man who runs into the theater with a gun? How can our faith remain fearless when the churches where we exhibit that faith are attacked by senseless violence?
The fact is our world is not safe, never has been safe and never will be safe.
God does not promise us safety. He promises us security in His power and grace and love. He promises that nothing will happen in this world outside of His control. He tells us that when we are covered in his love that we can make it through whatever evil comes against us. And if the moment comes where our worst fears come to pass, we trust that life was not taken in vain or by mistake. We trust that we have victory in defeat for we are going home to be with Him. There is no fear in love.
Unlike the murderous Indominus Rex of “Jurassic World”, the things we are afraid of in this world are still very real. Yet in the shadow of of God’s perfect love we realize there is nothing to truly be afraid of. The fear itself is fake
For no power in the sky above or in the earth below – indeed, not even a dinosaur – will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
What’s the Indominus Rex in your life – the thing you fear most in this world? How can you let God’s perfect love drive out that fear today?
