On bears in the woods and a Psalms 37 & 91 world

“The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word ‘crisis.’ One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger–but recognize the opportunity.”
― John F. Kennedy

“Did you hear that?” my husband asked.

I did. A “phuff, phuff, phuff” that sounded like a dog panting — but bigger. It was coming from somewhere near the rock formation to which we had just hiked. Very near.

“I think it’s a bear.” He added this last bit of information with calm.

The kind of calm that comes from 1. having previously met bears in the woods and survived 2. knowing that the kind of bears that live in Appalachia are generally chill unless provoked and 3. having a Ph.D. whose focus includes animal behavior.

Having only one of the above knowledge points tucked into my own pocket, I froze and peered around nervously.

The thicket of rhododendron and hemlock was so dense we couldn’t have actually seen a bear (or a mountain lion, which aren’t known to live here but I always worry that one didn’t get that memo.) Our dog was more able. He tensed, locked his gaze on a point perhaps 10 feet away and began a low, continuous growl.

Well.

WYKYK.

We turned and headed slowly but steadily back the way we came, nothing following us but God’s goodness and mercy.

Later, safe in our car, we laughed in delight at our close encounter with a wild thing but sighed with a deeper knowledge. This particular danger passed, but we know that bears will continue to live in the woods and may be encountered at any turn.

It’s true. It is the very nature of the forest to contain bears.

Sharp edges — both such literal ones and the metaphorical ones brewed in the hearts of those ravenous for power and bent toward evil — are part of the trouble Jesus promised us that this world will surely contain until His return.

Indeed, it is the very nature of this fallen world to be a place of trouble. A place of risk. A place of danger. To think that any thing or any person can negate this is delusion at best, idolatry at worst.

Blessedly for the believer, however, there is One who has this power. Jesus has already overcome this troubled world. The Bible tells us again and again what He has already done and what He is still in the process of doing. Psalm 91 and Psalm 37 are my favorite record of His ongoing work.

The first is God speaking to our fear, telling us He can provide the shelter, refuge, protection our fragile selves require. The second is God speaking to our indignation, telling us that the seeming victory of evil over good is temporary, an illusion — nothing about which to chew our peace into bits.

Fear not, says Psalm 91. Fret not, says Psalm 37.

Fear not. Fret not.

Fear not.

Fret not.

There are bears. They and their metaphorical kin can appear anywhere, anytime. Scripture and everything we know about living acknowledge this troubled-world reality.

But, there is also a God who is already everywhere, all the time. When crisis comes — and it will — we must give Him the opportunity to show what He can do. He sees through thickets. He sees across time. He is more than able to overcome.

+++