Fear God? We’re supposed to be afraid of Him?
In a sense, yes.
We don’t like to think that we’re to actually hold a fear of God in our hearts, then we read Matthew 10:28, in which Jesus says, “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
This is obviously a real fear. Like, scared. God can take us out and make every memory of us unknown. He can utterly destroy us, both here and now and for eternity. Not only our physical selves, but our spiritual selves. That is power. Supreme power. Exponential, incomprehensible power. Unlike any power we have ever seen. Think about it, even nuclear power can only destroy body, but not soul.
We should recognize that this Almighty God in all His fearful magnificence, loves us enough to lean in to hear our prayers, fight on our behalf, and die for our rescue. That changes our fear from the debilitating, cowering-in-the-corner fear to respectful and reverent fear.
And therein lies the beginning of true wisdom. The foundation. The rock upon which every other part of our life is built. Our way of thinking, our choices, our delights. Everything. This is more than saying we believe in God. This is choosing to recognize Him as the omnipotent One and letting that recognition change us from the inside out. Wisdom.
Further, knowledge of the Holy One gives us insight and understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
Then why do we seem to just not understand people and what’s going on? Simple answer: we’re not plugged into the fear and knowledge of Him. Expanded answer: we must maintain that fear of the Lord and the knowledge of Him so that they govern our lives instead of us taking over the reins to try to guide life the way we want it to go.
Let’s start anew today, bowing in reverent recognition of who God is, taking note of His power and grace. Let’s accept that understanding Him only happens through Him, then tune into His will for us. He will give us wisdom and understanding that does not come naturally to any human.
Ready?
Coffee, Bible, Journal.
