Why Fear God?

 

It has required years of hard lessons to finally get it — I don’t know anything about ruling my own life. God’s lessons are mostly about the consequences and while this revelation produces worship and awe of Him, it also produces fear of self-rule and fear of God, not that He is going to hurt me but that He is going to teach me another hard lesson.

Many theologians would say that fear of God is the same as reverence or awe, yet it seems to include a bit of phobia — a small fear of what God could do if He wanted because I need hard lessons to give up my stubborn and sinful pride.

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. (Psalm 19:9)

This fear will endure, partly because it is a pure thing. I’m not to fear the lessons, but rejoice in them because God’s way is true and righteous as opposed to my way of false and foolishness. He wants the best for me and knows that I’m clueless. It will harm me, others, and lead me away from His best.

He gives reasons why I should fear my own way and never fear what others may do for He is sovereign. Nothing will happen to me that He cannot use for good. I can trust Him yet realize if I don’t do what He says, He has every right to let me experience the consequences to use whatever will teach me to obey Him. Even with trust, this respect is a bit scary!

He has things to say about fearing Him and His Word. The OT says this:

Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations . . . . The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield . . . . (Psalm 33:8–22)

Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 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. (Psalm 34:11–14)

Jesus said: “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28) and “His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.” (Luke 1:50)

Others say this fear is both awe and trembling respect:

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. (2 Corinthians 7:1)

Look carefully then how you walk . . . the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is . . . be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns . . .  giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:15–21)

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12–13)

This fear is like the little child who realizes she deserves a spanking, but hold tight to the hand of her daddy knowing that he will do the best thing — yet she still fears the correction he lovingly administers.

And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? (Hebrews 12:5–7)

PRAY: Jesus, Your Word and Your way stands forever. Far better that I fear You and yield, “Not my will but your will be done.” Forgive and cleanse my stubborn pride for thinking otherwise.

PONDER: Consider what needs to change in my life because I both trust and fear the Lord. See Proverbs 3:5–7. Every part of life needs to reflect a distrust in my way and both fear and love for my Heavenly Father.

 

 

Loving pizza is not the same as loving God

 

Yesterday was so full and entirely God-blessed that I forgot to post morning devotions and didn't realize it until this morning. So here is what God put on my heart yesterday!

2 Samuel 8–9; Psalms 58–59; Ezekiel 16; 2 Corinthians 2

Many Christians realize how the enemies of God have distorted or raised havoc with the blessings He has given us. One of them is LOVE. His love is pure, unselfish, kind yet firm in wanting the very best for us. This means that love will correct us when we do things that will bring harm to ourselves or others.

Raising children is one example at a human level. Many parents do their best to protect and instruct their children. The children respond to that loving care in various ways. One of them is resentment to correction and shouting those hurtful words, “You don’t love me.” Perhaps that is one way that the word ‘love’ has come to mean an affection that does never does anything that causes pain.

Perhaps that corruption began early in our history. It was present during the early church. While the Bible does not describe Paul’s “painful visit” something happened that brought pain to him and to the church folks at Corinth. He wrote to them:

“For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you. For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.” (2 Corinthians 2:1–4)

This could refer to the man that was in sin and disciplined as described in his first letter to this church. Paul describes that situation and that punishment was necessary, but also that the church needed to “turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.”

Love for this man was expressed by discipline and by forgiveness. This is a God-thing and further described in another passage:

And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? (Hebrews 12:5–7)

It would be difficult to worship a God that let me do whatever I felt like doing to the point of getting into trouble. If He did not stop me or warn me, I would feel very much like He didn’t care about me, just as I would feel if my mother let me play in traffic without any concern that I could be injured or killed. Love must include boundaries, but that word is hardly ever associated with restrictions. It is more about pleasure, comfort, and indulgence.

My focus verse for today is "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."  (John 15:13) Certainly that is the ultimate expression of love and the way that I know Jesus loves me. However, I also know that He loves me because He won’t let me play in traffic. He warns me. He darkens my conscience. He speaks to my heart. He does all He can to make His concerns known and to protect and guide me. If He did not, I would not enjoy His blessings nor would I realize how important I am to Him. He loves me.

APPLY: The bottom line for me in these thoughts is that corrupting the love word means a great hesitation when it comes to telling someone we love that their choices are harmful, that they are on a collision course, that if they do not change they will regret it. In other words, love is not mush; it is laying down my life, being willing to speak truth in love to those I care about, even if it changes their opinion of me, even if they shout back at me with, “You don’t love me” when that is totally not true. This kind of selfless love is seen at Calvary where Jesus died in my place. This makes the gospel both good news and bad news. The bad news is that in dying for me, He is saying that I deserved to die. The good news? This judgment is made in love. Without it, I would never know the solution, also offered in love.