Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Maybe you've never struggled with what it means to fear the LORD, but I have. It seemed impossible for me to reconcile the God who loved me enough to redeem me and give me a path to a life of love, joy, and peace with a God of whom I should be afraid.
As I thought about it this morning, it made me think about my context for fear or being afraid. Unfortunately, I do remember being afraid or fearful of what my father might do (alcohol does terrible things - to the one who abuses it and the one who is abused by it). That fear had little to do with respect and much to do with fear of emotional or physical harm, about the reality of that kind of pain being visited upon me personally or others I loved. So fear of someone had a real context for me...and one I struggled to connect with God.
Smith defines fear this way: the fear of God that begets knowledge is a fear which manifests such profound respect for God's authority that one dare not questions his word on any matter. This I can buy or understand. God alone has all power, all authority over His creation and the right to do with it as He pleases. God alone knows exactly what we need at any point of our lives to move us toward Him. We, as His children, have no right to ask Him why, as if He owes us any explanation for what He allows into our lives, unless....unless that question is not a challenge but an inquiry that would allow us to extract the greatest good fro our circumstances.
As I think about fearing God personally, I wonder if I have, like many women who have experienced unhealthy relationships with their earthly fathers, confused fearing or respecting God with fearing, being afraid of my early father. And in the process, missed out on something important. I wanted a sweet Daddy who always smiled at me, who would embrace me and take care of me. But I needed a Daddy who also set boundaries because He, not only had the right to, but because He loved me enough to. I needed a Daddy who had and exercised authority and was worthy of my respect and obedience.
Today, young people do not give respect easily as an older generation was taught to. Recent generations have required others to earn their respect. God has already done that. He made the greatest of sacrifices to show us His love, and He has never failed us. Not one word in all of His WORDs will fail us, will fail to move us toward peace with Him and peace within...and unending joy.
What a paradox - fear can being peace and joy!!
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