Who do we fear?


 TODAY'S PROVERB: The fear of ADONAI is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10

Fearing GOD. I think many times we "blink" past these words. I know I do. Or perhaps it presents a scary question for you: Should I be afraid of GOD?

There are close to 300 references in the Bible that speak of fearing GOD. And as it pertains to today's proverb, what does that mean to us?

It means, I think, we should dig into this topic a bit more.

Some translations use reverence or respect rather than fear. With all due "respect," that feels a bit wimpy to me. And then what do we do with the commandment to fear GOD above all things, and it's for our good (Deuteronomy 6:24) with 1 John 4:18, saying GOD's perfect love drives out all fear?

When we fear something or someone, we do show a measure of respect. That somehow they exhibit a higher level of strength, power, and authority.

Say we're pulled over for speeding. There's probably a rumble in the tummy and an accelerated heart rate as we sit obediently in the car as the officer makes the long trip to the driver's side. We have a respectful fear because we've done something wrong. Those who try to outrun the cop are probably hiding more than a simple traffic violation.

Let's talk about the ultimate authority. The ultimate strength. The One in power over the Universe. Who oversees free will. That's our Heavenly Father! Cool, right?

Here's the thing, He's also holy. He also hates--and I mean hates--sin. He's destroyed whole cities over sin. He sent a flood to destroy all living things on the earth over sin.

When we've sinned and "wait in the car" as we repent, you can be sure we're anxious. And, that's okay. It means we're GOD-fearers and we know we're out of line.

Fortunately, our Father sent His Son to atone--cover--those offensive sins. He sees His Son's sacrifice over our sin, so we can take our "ticket," thank the LORD for protecting us, for forgiving us, and go on our way the wiser.

In the past I've written about compasses. The importance of finding true North before we can navigate. Without it, we'll always be off, and eventually, we'll be lost.

Fearing the LORD is our TRUE North.We begin there for everything. For the pursuit of wisdom, faith, knowledge, love, hope, gifts . . . life. We acknowledge that He is THE authority and that He is holy. And, that is always the right beginning.

May we truly fear the LORD, my friends.

Proverbs 9:10, Tree of Life Bible Society, Tree of Life Version - TLV #tlvbible #tlvproverbs

[WATCH Tree of Life Bible Society's CEO, Daniah Greenberg and me, Terri Gillespie, Author dig a little deeper with this proverb. Check us out at Tree of Life Bible Society, Monday through Friday, LIVE at 8:30am EST. Watch previous episodes there as well. Stay wise, my friends!]

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

WISDOM'S JOURNEY: Are you being diverted? Proverbs 4:27

Image
Are you being diverted? TODAY'S PROVERB: Do not turn to the right or to the left. Divert your foot from evil. Proverbs 4:27 I love flying at night. It's a vivid perspective of just how small we really are. Looking at the expanse of the sky with its stars is peaceful, stable. Gazing below at the man-made lights that glow with seemingly brighter intensity. But, that glow is temperamental. Subject to the frailties of humanity and technology, and believe it or not, dependent upon the grace of God. This verse reminds me that until we rise above our humanity, we'll be diverted from the bigness of the Creator of the Universe. It seems our world offers a plethora of distractions. They don't have to be evil, they simply have to be distractions that lead to diverting us from God's calling and purpose in our life. Like the bright city lights, they can drown out the still, small pinpricks of true light from the stars. Until we rise above. What are some of the distract...
Read more

WISDOM'S JOURNEY: Are you a voice for God's covenant? Proverbs 2:16-17

Image
Are you a voice for God's covenant? TODAY'S PROVERB: ...to deliver you from a seducing woman—a wayward wife with seductive words, who forsakes the partner of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God. Proverbs 2:16-17 Infidelity. The last few generations tend to think infidelity was something they created. For certain they have developed it into an art form using film, music, literature, and now, social media. Throughout Scrip ture and history, women have played as much of a role in this sin as men. Honestly, as women, we should know better. These days, women tend to look at fornication and adultery as their rights -- their choice. We can justify and defend all we want, but the truth is that it all boils down to this: our choice is whether we sin or don't sin. Not a popular thing to say. There's nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Humanity has been sinning since the Garden. And infidelity has the same patterns and outcomes as it did thousands of y...
Read more

WISDOM'S JOURNEY: Are you lame or reliable? Proverbs 25:19

Image
Are you lame or reliable? TODAY'S PROVERB: Like a broken tooth or a lame foot is confidence in the unfaithful in time of trouble. Proverbs 25:19 I have a "trick" ankle. There appears to be no rhyme or reason when it decides to give out. I'll take a step and it's like the bones turn to rubber. A misstep on stairs or a ladder or while carrying something can be treacherous. If I knew what caused the weakness then I could avoid  placing demands on it. But, alas, I don't know, so I can never fully trust it. Today's proverb counsels us about "trick ankle" people. Do you have people like this in your life? For the most part, they are reliable, but at unpredictable -- and inevitably important moments -- they are not reliable. Even when we forgive them for these events, we're still unsure if we can depend on them. It leaves a small residue on our ability to trust them completely -- at least for a season. My ankle is a vivid reminder of the import...
Read more