"(Peter) did not know what to say, for they were terrified."

Does anything frighten you - make you terrified? Adam tries to hide from God in the Garden - "I heard your voice and I was afraid." Jacob has a dream of angels ascending and descending - and in fear he exclaims, "This is none other than the house of God." Out of a burning bush God calls to Moses and Moses hides his face because he is afraid. Jesus walks on water and the disciples are terrified. Jesus talks with Elijah and Moses on the mountain, and the disciples are terrified. Jesus walks out on death leaving the tomb and grave clothes behind, and his followers are petrified. The Bible doesn't sugarcoat the reality, nor shy away from the fact: when you encounter God, or God encounters you, a prominent emotion just may be fear. Of course, for your life and mine, our greatest fears tend to be unrelated to our good God, but rather evil people and bad circumstances. One other thing though, in my case: I'm afraid of snakes.

The young lady got home from work a few days ago, and discovered her apartment had been broken into. She immediately called 911 and the dispatcher calmly asked her, "Is the robber still there? Check the closets and under the bed; I'll stay on the line." She quickly searched the small apartment and it turned out to be empty. Her anger turned to fear when the police officers showed up and told her, "You were given bad advice. The dispatcher should have advised you to get out of the place as fast as you can. Thank goodness no one was in the closet or under the bed." The story is especially touching to me, because the young lady is my daughter. Does anything frighten me, you might wonder? In addition to snakes, that is. Sure I get frightened, and most of my fear centers around my children. I'm thinking all of you can somehow relate.

You see standing before you this morning one, happy father. Things were stolen. My daughter is safe. Things are replaceable. My daughter is not. Then again, you see standing before you one, sad dad. Sara's sense of home as a "safe haven" is taken away from her, and it pains me that she feels "violated."

I'm not sure who came up with this analogy, but it goes something like this: life can be like a father throwing his child up in the air and then catching her. This happened just last night with my granddaughter. "Higher daddy, higher!" she squeals with delight. My heart's in my throat as she is high in the air - what if my son drops her? Jadyn's eyes are wide with joy - daddy will always catch me!" And here is the metaphor: life is a free fall. You can either go through life screaming in terror. Or, you can scream in delight and pleasure as a child does, because in faith we believe that underneath are the everlasting arms of the heavenly Father to catch you! Which of those two scenes is a picture of your life? Is it one or the other - or a mixture of both?

We all deal with fear in a variety of ways, some in healthier ways than others. Maybe when your legs feel weak and your knees buckle, you fall to those knees in prayer. Sinatra famously said, "Basically, I'm for anything that gets you through the night - be it prayer, tranquilizers or a bottle of Jack Daniels." We night manage a smile, I suppose, if the funeral of the very talented Whitney Houston were not so fresh in our minds.

To be sure, each person deals with fears in their own manner, some in healthier ways than others. One thing is clear, we need to be careful about condemning people for their fears ... and how they try to calm them.

With the round-the-clock news coverage in the wake of Whitney Houston's death, a friend of mine - a mother with young boys - wrote on Facebook, "Okay, we get it. She's dead through her own actions. Can we move on now?" I think a lot of the person who wrote those words and think very little of the words she wrote. "Can we move on now" indeed! It was Jesus, after all, who said, "Do not judge, so that you may not be judged.... Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own." I want to tell my friend, but probably won't, "Whatever caused the freefall-downfall of Whitney Houston, let's celebrate her life, mourn her death, and refrain from looking down your nose from the perch of your high horse."

Can you imagine? Your apartment gets robbed and you're nervous each time you enter? Get over it. You're scared out of your wits, and your life's in a tangle? Get over it. You grieve the death of a lady who sang like an angel? Get over it. To that kind of advice I would say, "If you feel the need to make holier-than-thou pronouncements - get over it."

And whatever free fall fear which caused Peter, James and John to fall to the ground in terror, it is not our place to judge them. I, for one, in the midst of my own fears, take heart in the words of from the clouds, "This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!" And those times I try to listen to Jesus, I am less afraid. I mean, apart from snakes. We Christians are encouraged to "faith our fears." And I try to faith mine.

"Get up and do not be afraid." These words Jesus spoke to three dumbfounded disciples. And they got up - and presumably, for the moment at least, they were unafraid. For the moment. Like all of us, the disciples continued their earthly journey, sometimes screaming in terror, other times shouting for joy - but at all times, presumably, trying to listen to Jesus.

Listen to Jesus. Wonderful advice. "I am the Resurrection and the life," he tells us. Listen to Jesus. "God so loved the world," he tells us. Listen to Jesus. "Remember, I am with you always...," he tells us. Listen to Jesus. Find the courage to faith your fears - and listen to Jesus. Whatever fears we have to faith down - Jesus can help us get over it!