Choose your Fears

 

1 Samuel 18; Psalm 34; Lamentations 3; Romans 16

One time we were hiking and I found myself on a steep bank of shale. Footing was unstable and there were few handholds. I panicked and froze. My hubby came to the rescue, but I still cringe at the memory. I don’t like heights. Even a TV show with someone on a skyscraper ledge has me covering my eyes. They say fear of falling and fear of loud noise is inborn. I’m not sure about the noise fear but falling (or basophobia) and heights (or acrophobia) are both on my list.

Today’s psalm mentions fear five times in English but not all of them are about terror. Two Hebrew words are used. One means terror and the other is about awe and reverence.

I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:4)

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him and delivers them. (Psalm 34:7)

Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! (Psalm 34:9)

Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. (Psalm 34:11)

I’m delighted that David uses the “terror” word only once and the “reverence” word four times. However, he does use other words that signify emotional distress such as: troubles, want, hunger, broken-hearted, crushed, afflictions, even condemned.

On the other hand, David shares what fear or awe of God looks like! He says . . .

I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! (Psalm 34:1–3)

Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. (Psalm 34:5–6)

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! (Psalm 34:8)

The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. (Psalm 34:10)

What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken. Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned. (Psalm 34:12–22)

APPLY: This psalm is clear about how I should think and behave so that the wrong kind of fear does not rule my life. Not only that, during this pandemic, even many Christians are fearful, perhaps forgetting that “God gave us a spirit not of fear (cowardice) but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7) I hope to share with others that fear has a place: we are not to play in traffic or defy rules created for our safety, but any cowardly kind of fear is not from God!

So how to have fear of God (not terror about other things) and letting that fear rule my mind and actions . . . As David says, praise is the way to start. Speak it, sing it, invited others to magnify Him with me. Realize He is good and take refuge in His goodness. He promises me that when I seek Him, He will take care of me. Turn from sin and don’t rehearse all the scary stuff in media and social media — turn from it and seek peace. Tell others that God is near and hears our cries. He will take care of us. This does not mean life will be rosy but He is with His people in our difficulties. We do not know what He will use to take us home, we must trust Him and remember that because of Jesus, He will not condemn those who trust Him;  we will live with Him forever. That is my desire. A good life is appealing but everlasting life in the presence of Almighty God is a guarantee!