1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, fools despise wisdom and instruction."
1:29 "....because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord"
2:4-5 "If you seek it like silver and search for it as hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God."
3:7 "Be not wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord, and turn away from evil."
8:13 "The fear of the Lord is the hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and they way of evil and perverted speech I hate."
9:10 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight."
10:27 "The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short."
14:26 "In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence and his children will have refuge."
14:27 "The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death."
15:16 "Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it."
15:33 "The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor."
16:6 "By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil."
19:23 "The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied, he will not be visited by harm."
22:4 "The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life."
23:18 "Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day."
24:21 "My son, fear the Lord, and the King, and do not join with those who do otherwise."
Soooo....the "fear of the Lord" has to do with knowledge, wisdom, hatred of evil, insight, prolonging of life, confidence, refuge, humility, and other things. "Fear of the Lord" has to do with not so much "fearing" the Lord as it does revering and following our Lord. I believe that when God "saved" us through the death of His son on the cross, He gave us a new heart - a heart that desires to follow Him and do His will. To be in compliance with His will, and to live pleasing to my Lord involves having a "fear of the Lord." Were I to actually be afraid of God, I would be unable to see Him as the perfect Father that He is. Rather, because I can see Him as the perfect Father, but also an all-powerful sovereign God I can know that I am so undeserving of His love....but also that He has given it to me anyway through His grace, and that I accept that gift and move on....walking in the Spirit....."fearing" the Lord.
...these are simply my musings for now. Does anyone out there have input for me? I'd love to hear it.
On a side note, isn't our Creator creative? I thought these were beautiful :)
2 comments:
It's funny...I actually thought of this today. Let me give you some context.
I've been praying for solid friends in this city, and God has answered that prayer so far...even if it's through one person. I started to work with the teenager's ministry at church and I've been having interaction with the leader, Cecilia. On Saturday as we were painting the room for the teenagers by ourselves, she started making an effort to get to know me and my convictions by asking me questions. The topic of boys came up, and I shared my experiences and what I've learned. The way she encouraged me to wait upon the Lord was really cool.
Later that day for the youth service, she gave a teaching on running the race (our Christian walk) as if there is only one prize. She elaborated and mentioned how we need to work out our faith, love the Lord, read the Word, avoid sin, walk in the Spirit, etc. I was really thankful and impressed that God has put this girl in my life when I sooo need community. Today, I was thinking of her, and tried to figure her out. I realized--she has fear of the Lord.
That is to say, she doesn't take sin lightly, she wants to live a life of a revolutionary, she is a non-conformist, she doesn't want to simply be a "Christian"; she wants to live as a DISCIPLE, a Christ-follower...that is, she takes up her cross daily and dies to her flesh.
I think a good verse to describe this more clearly is Romans 12:1-2. "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."
That was long. But those are my thoughts!
Chelsea--I walked through a couple of years ago, and am continuing daily to walk through some very similar considerations of the fear of the Lord. I guess Proverbs does that!
I vaguely remember a sermon by Piper that shaped my thoughts, but of course I don't recall what it was! If I find it, I'll send it to you.
Romans 2:1-11 has been something I've meditated much over in the last few weeks and reminds me of what it means to fear the Lord. Paul asks the Roman church of the status of their hearts reminding them, "For their is no partiality with God." I think you've gathered the same thing as I when it comes to a fear of the Lord--we both know and cherish the fact that He is an all-sovereign and all-mighty God of terrible wrath towards sin. But he is also the God of mercy and grace for those He has called as His own. And so we strive to not "think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience...who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life."
Okay, that was a ridonkulously long post. Love you sister!
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