I readily embrace loving the
Lord with all my heart, but I don’t consciously have the fear of the Lord in my
mind. At least that was until I started reading Jeremiah and Ezekiel. You’d
think with Israel’s recorded history, in many cases repeated verbatim, along
with the prophet’s dire warnings, that the people would wake up every morning
with the fear of the Lord in the forefront of their mind. The Psalmist said, “Let
those who fear the LORD say: “His love endures forever” (Psalm 118:4 NIV). Hmm,
maybe I’m more conscious of the fear of the Lord than I realize.
1 comment:
Gail;
-----Fear is an emotion. Emotions are indicators. They are not informative beyond the fact that a possibility exists. Joy indicates the possibility of peace, comfort, and fulfillment. Maybe that possibility is right now, and so possible that it is more than probable. Maybe you are joyfully fulfilled in your current situation, which is likely to soon be thrown under the bus. Fear indicates the possibility of chaos, hardship, and impoverishment. Though being yet in comfort, fear will beckon the mind to find a solution for stopping the bus. The indicator has called forth what is informative -the mind. And the well informed mind calls on the Lord.
-----So, what possibility do we need to fear having come to know the Lord? Our minds are informed by His Word that He is the source of all our fulfillment and the security of what contains that fulfillment for our enjoyment. So, once we’ve come to Him, what is there left to fear?
-----Bringing logic to scripture is a greatly entertaining thing. When in my early twenties, a couple Mormons wanted to teach me some things, I’m sure. We scheduled meetings in my mom’s living room while she was off to work. Twice a week they were to bring their little film-strip projector, show me a series of pictures, and then ask me questions. Of course, by the great Socrates method, I was to be led into Mormonism. Their problem was that I had questions of my own, questions forged in the contemplations of three years of Bible college and even more years than that of Bible study. The first night, all too shortly after our great Socrates session began, in the midst of my questions in response to theirs, they tardy memories conveniently informed them of an appointment down the street for which they’d become late! They left quickly. The second question session ended the same way. But not the third! Mom’s apartment door lock locked both sides of the door. When I had greeted and let my guests in that night, I stealthily locked the door behind them. And I didn’t unlock it until their fingernails were beginning to scratch its paint off as they tried to get away from good, logical questions. Bringing logic to scripture is greatly entertaining.
-----”2You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it; that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you…6 Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you, and you be found a liar…18I warn every one who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if any one adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19and if any one takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” (Deut 4:2; Prov 30:6; Rev 22:18-19)
-----Certainly, the more we give our minds to knowing truth as His Word reveals it, and the more we give our bodies to doing what’s right as He beckons, the more joy we feel within the midst of ever increasing peace, comfort, and fulfillment. What’s to fear about God then? “38For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:38) The only thing not given in that list is “me”, “myself“. Supplying it would be to add to His Word. As the fear of being destroyed by Him leads us to Him, the fear of loosing Him leads us to the keeping of our hearts with all vigilance.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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