The Fear of the Lord

I've been thinking a lot about the fear of God lately. I've heard it all my life as I've grown up in church. I remember being in church and hearing that the sermon would be on the fear of God. My first thoughts were, "Good! Because I thought God was someone to feel safe around! The fear of God sounds more like a contradiction that would disprove God rather than solidify the argument for Him. I don't remember anything about the sermons. Maybe I was too young to grasp the concepts, or maybe the pastors were poor communicators. Either way, I decided it must not be that important because no one could explain it and no one wanted to talk about it.

Turns out it is kind of important. In fact, it is paramount to understanding God.

So I sit with my brothers in Christ once a week...and we confess. Many times we confess the same things over and over again. Each week we have things to celebrate and things to consistently throw our hands up and push down our heads for the fact that no one knows how to help. We believe that being apart of an older group of Godly men would help. I've begin to wonder why we think older men would know what to do. I don't know many older men with the depth that I would trust to give me sound advice. I know more acquaintances through church that I trust more than my own dad or family. I believe that being apart of an older group of men will help us tremendously! I can't wait to get involved. My point is that they are not Spiritual Titans just because they have lived longer. The one's who we will seek out for counsel are overflowing of God's grace because they "practice the Fear of the Lord"!

David says Psalm 111:10 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever" This seems to say that God isn't going to just smack us in the head one morning and say, "Happy birthday! Here is some wisdom, understanding, and a dash of fear for good measure! You're welcome!" We have to PRACTICE? I wanted to play piano and learn to read music, but not as much as I didn't want to practice! When I sit down at the piano and look at the music that I can't play, I don't try to play it and get frustrated saying, "Why can't I do this????" I know exactly why I can't do it! I don't care enough to sit there and practice.

I want to stop struggling in some of the areas that war against me. My doubts and lack of faith are simply haunting. Many of my brothers feel the same way about their own lives. However, we don't care enough to do anything about it. Once a week, we say, "God help us this week." Is it absurd or just plain insane to think that this next week will be better for me if I don't seek God? If I'm not saturated in Him....why would I expect to understand Him?

Matthew 7:22 "On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’"

Hebrews 6:4-8"4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. 7 For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned."

Maybe this is poor theology. Maybe I'm just a 23 year old with no understanding of these verses. But maybe they don't scare you like they scare me. I'm not saying I live in petrifying fear of God...I'm saying I want to live in an encouraging fear of God. And maybe through fear and trembling I can come to understand what that means. Because if I'm honest.....I have no idea what the Fear of the Lord is. But I know that it scares me into the loving arms of the Father! And that is where I find relentless sanctification and the most beautiful rest I could imagine.