Fearing a Holy God
There are many places in the Bible that call us to fear the Lord. In Psalm 111:10 it states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.” But why does God call us to fear and why would we fear him?
Fear doesn’t mean just honor and respect in these verses, it means shaking in your boots terrified of a holy God. That is a healthy fear of our Lord. Why is it healthy? Because it shows our understanding of his holiness and his authority to judge. To love and to fear God go hand in hand.
We might find ourselves fearing God at some point in our lives because we fear condemnation. There are also multiple examples where God’s presence shows our brokenness. Our fragility and unworthiness cause us to fear his perfection.
We show our love for him through obedience. If we answer the call to be a Christ-follower, we must also answer the call to strive towards living in his image. Anything less is a childlike understanding of what it means to follow God. We cannot put our faith in a box. It should permeate every portion of our lives- that which we deem good, bad, and ugly. To be a Christ follower is a gift but also a chore.
Do I love my lord with everything? Does my life show my growth? Is my obedience to God evident in the way I live my life? Do my daily actions show I have a healthy fear of God? Can I accept a God who strikes fear in his followers or am I too jaded by my own privilege that this feels wrong? Does my version of God include love AND judgment? One with righteous wrath and yet the savior of the world? A God of authority yet gives free will?
Has influence or denial caused me to not see God as he truly is? Are there any places in my life where I am viewing him through rose-colored glasses and not fully seeing his multi-faceted, sometimes confusing, attributes? God, lead me to see you as you truly are, not the God I have contrived in my head during my lifetime. Help me to grow in wisdom and understanding of who you are and what that means in my own life. Give me a heart that longs for obedience.
