There Is No Fear

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. – 1 John 4:18 (NIV)

Love is such a novelty, a rarely painted masterpiece.

A place few people go or ever know.

An underwater rocket love- exactly what I'm searching for.

You're brave enough to go? Tell me so.

Say you'll go to Nirvana. Will you leave Samsara?

In the words of Dhammapada: Who will lead? Who will follow?

Our love will sail in this ark. The world could end outside our window.

Let's find forever and write our name in fire on each other's hearts.

– “Say You’ll Go”, Janelle Monae

 I had a conversation with someone who has become very special to me last night. I shared a shared a prayer I’d been praying concerning them. Recognizing that it’s all about purpose, my prayer was that God allowed them to gain greater perspective in their walk with Him and so that God’s purpose for our interactions would be clear to us and as effective as possible. Though I may have desires on what I’d like that to be, I realize that what I want doesn’t have anything to do with what God plans for me to have. And I am not afraid of whatever that is.

Why?

Because there is no fear in love.

and God is love.

Therefore, there is no fear in God.

When God brings something into your life, He’s only bringing more of Himself.

I went to bed with an assurance that my prayer would yield more love, more Him- regardless the design. And, amazingly, when I saw the sun this morning, I welcomed the biggest smile I could. It was something about seeing that particular portrait of Heaven that told me more love was on the way and I had absolutely nothing to fear.

And after hearing Janelle Monae, I believed it.

Today, I experienced how beautiful love sounds when it’s set to music. It is majestic. I smiled. I believed. And as soon as she said “Love is such a novelty- a rarely painted masterpiece”, I cried. I mean I cried. My heart began to bleed for people who don’t know what it means to love- to have the love of God, self, community, humanity….ecology. People are suffering when they don’t have to be. And it takes a great deal to decide you’ll stop hurting- which underscores Janelle’s desire.

Say you'll go to Nirvana. Will you leave Samsara?

In the words of Dhammapada: Who will lead? Who will follow?

Our love will sail in this ark. The world could end outside our window.

Let's find forever and write our name in fire on each other's hearts.

In Eastern religions (particularly Buddhism), Nirvana, Samsara and Dhammapada are the equivalent of the Christian’s Heaven, Hell and the Word of God. In essence, she’s asking if we believe experiencing freedom is worth ending suffering, with only love to sustain us and endure.

You can’t possess love and be afraid to share it.

You can’t desire love and be afraid to receive it.

You can’t crave freedom and be afraid to embrace it.

You can’t request purpose and be afraid to realize it.

You cannot be afraid.

There can be no fear in love.

There can be no fear in God.

That doesn’t mean love won’t hurt. It does. It is not easy. But even in that, God allows our pain to be productive and manufacture higher and necessary dimensions of love in order to be what we need and who we need to be.

If it’s even possible, my smile is bigger and brighter.

I am not afraid.

I am not afraid.

I am not afraid.



©Candice Marie Benbow, 2010