January 3
Genesis 5-6
Psalm 2:7-12
Proverbs 1:7
Matthew 3
The Fear of the Lord
“The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; Ignorant fools despise wisdom and discipline.” Proverbs 1:7 LSB
Most people associate fear with negative connotations. This is often accurate, but fear can also be a good thing. Fear is the thing that keeps us from picking up a snake we see in the yard or from reaching into a cage at the zoo to pet a lion. Fear is the thing that keeps us from jumping off a tall building or walking out in front of a speeding car. Fear is a natural instinct that protects and keeps us safe from harm. We respect the danger of being bitten by a snake or a lion. We understand that if we jump off a tall building we cannot escape harm and we know that if we are hit by a car we likely won’t survive. But why should we fear God? I have heard it said that the fear referred to here is about respect. That is part of it, but it does not do the term justice. We obviously should respect God. He deserves our utmost respect, awe and wonder. But we should also have a healthy sense of fear of Him. God is the Creator of the universe. He is the almighty, all powerful, sovereign God. He is above all, beyond all, and over all. He is capable of speaking a word and causing a flood to destroy the earth. He is capable of striking someone dead or raising someone from the dead. He can move a mountain or calm an angry sea.
It is true that God is love, peace, gentleness and kindness, but he is also just, powerful, mighty and fierce. He is all of those things and we should not forget it. We cannot take His mercy and grace for granted. We can count on His love and faithfulness, and we can count on His justice and strength. The knowledge of Him should make us have a healthy, but very real fear of Him. The wisdom and instructions He provides in His Word are not intended to be taken as suggestions. They are not optional. Fools ignore God’s Word, they do not heed His commands, and they do not follow His instructions.
God’s Word is given to us by our loving Father to help us live in this crazy, chaotic, messed-up world. It helps us navigate the perils and dangers we face in this life. He really does know best and we should accept and embrace that fact. He created the world and everything in it and He gets to make the rules by which it operates. Since He made it all, He knows how it functions best. He knows how it is supposed to operate and as the one who made it, He gets to decide how everything works. Recognizing God’s place and our place in God’s world is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom. Failure to accept this reality leads to a life of struggle and strife.
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