Come and Fear Not

Today I listened to a podcast about Dr. John Welling who created an organization to help those who are blind in Africa because of cataracts. He summarized, “There's 93 million people who are either blind or visually impaired from cataracts, and so it's a huge problem. And it's significant to note, too, that 90 percent of those blinded by cataracts live in under resourced parts of the world. So, in places where they're least likely to have access for care. Maybe the craziest part of all of this is that cataract blindness is completely unnecessary. Cataracts can be cured essentially overnight with a 10-minute procedure that can be done at a material cost of 25, which is pretty amazing. Within 24 hours of surgery, patients typically will, you know, be seeing well enough to drive a car and really enable them to get their life back, provide for their family, provide for their loved ones. And so a huge problem that has a clear and straightforward solution.” He goes to Ghana and Zambia and advertises for people to come and have their blindness cured by a simple procedure. The host of the podcast highlighted the fact that despite the free gift that is offered them, some choose not to receive it. She questioned, “Why is it that some people choose not to receive this gift of healing? And what have you learned from offering something that you know would bless others, but it's not received?” Dr. Welling answered, “So when we send out our screening teams out to the villages ahead of an outreach, generally we send them out a couple of weeks ahead of time. We know that in order to do say X number of surgeries, if we're going to do a thousand surgeries, that we have to screen and sign up basically 1200 to 1300 patients. Cause we know that about 25 percent of patients won't come and there've been studies that. Have looked at, you know, why, why that is, what are the main barriers and, and fear is far and away the, the number one barrier and fear of going to an unfamiliar place, fear of having surgery, and also fear if they're aware of someone who's gone for surgery and has not had the desired outcome, who's had a bad outcome.” Fear sometimes keeps them away from a life-altering surgery to restore their sight, which is tragic given how much they need it to survive.

This surely has a spiritual corollary, for when we need help from the Savior (which is all the time) sometimes we still don’t come to Him.  We often turn first to the world and to our own strength instead of pleading with Him first for strength. I love this invitation from Alma to us all: “Yea, I say unto you come and fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you down to destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this day by going into the waters of baptism” (Alma 7:15). Fear may keep some from the waters of baptism specifically, and all of us from getting His help that He so willingly offers us. I love this testimony of Nephi: “He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation. Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price” (2 Nephi 26:24-25). We do not need money or possessions to come unto the Savior and be healed and helped and supported in our trials and tribulations. Isaiah put it this way: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10). What an incredible promise! We need not fear anything if we turn to Him. Every day, in every situation, He should be where we turn for strength. This testimony of Isaiah likely inspired the song How Firm A Foundation which includes this powerful final verse:

                                   The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose

I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;

That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,

I’ll never, no never, I’ll never, no never,

I’ll never, no never, no never forsake! 

Alma knew this as well and testified to his son Corianton: “And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day” (Alma 38:5). We should never fear to come unto Him and receive our spiritual sight and be supported in all our afflictions. His promises are sure and we should set our sights permanently on Him.