Fear God
Fear is not something many of us like to ponder. Fear usually has a negative feel towards it. So, when “fear” is mentioned in the Bible, many of us try to downplay it. We assume it is talking about an awe or respect. While there may be some validity to this, I think we might be misusing the word.
The word “fear” is used 336 times in the Bible, so it is something God does not want us to take lightly. Think about this: every time someone comes into contact with an angel, they fall down on their face out of fear. Joshua 5:13-14: Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” Judges 6:21a-23 And the angel of the LORD disappeared. When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he exclaimed, “Alas, Sovereign LORD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!” But the LORD said to him, “Peace! Do not be afraid.
You are not going to die.” Luke 1:26-29 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. All of these interactions portray fear. If this is how people interact with angels, then one can only imagine how we will interact with the Alpha and Omega God! These verses seem to imply that the natural reaction to someone coming into the presence of a holy being is fear-and not just a mild fear, but a “fall down on your face, pee down the side of your leg” kind of fear. But we often don’t have this in America today. Psalm 111:10 says that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” This verse indicates that to have wisdom, we must fear God.
If we think of God in His true holy form, then our appreciation of His love for us should increase. The fact that our Creator who is all powerful and all knowing is mind boggling. To finish this, take time to read Revelation 1:9-18. This is the account of John’s interaction with God in Heaven. Take time to notice the details of the encounter. Then, thank God for his power and love.
