Word of the Week - Fear of God

“The Lord favors those who fear Him.  Those who wait for His lovingkindness.”  Psalm 147: 11

Healthy Fear of God refers to fear in the context of respect, awe, and submission.  The fear of the Lord is a gift of the Holy spirit and does not imply that we are to be afraid or scared of God, since we know He is our heavenly Father who loves and forgives us.  Just like a good earthly father, God has our best interest in mind and He desires us to have a joyful awareness of His power and grandeur and a grateful realization that only in Him do our hearts find true peace, fulfillment and eternal life.  From a theological perspective, “fear of the Lord” is a convergence of awe, reverence, adoration, honor, worship, confidence, thankfulness, love and respect. 

Strength in Fear:

“Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will a refuge” Proverb 14:26.  Healthy Fear brings us strength.  It is the feeling that allows us to experience risk, trust, dependency, collaboration, and ultimately, wisdom because it helps us realize our need for help.  As we recognize our need for help, we find great opportunity.  Fear can motivate you to reach out for help, risk your heart with your need.  This can create a healthy degree of interdependence on God and others, which is truly the joy and purpose of life, to live in connection/dependence on Christ and community with others.  We were not designed to do this life alone.  Unfortunately, too many of us answer fear by silencing its voice.  We run from risk, eliminate trust hide our dependency and become anxious and controlling not peace filled and collaborative.   

Protection in Fear:

“The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life turning a person from the snares of death” Proverb 14:27. Fear awakens us to danger.  It is a visceral reaction to physical threat, but more important, because we are creatures of the heart, fear alerts us to emotional and spiritual danger.  By listening to healthy fear, we recognize our value and prepare to prevent harm to ourselves and others.  This caution affords us discernment, which gives us a sense of other’s intentions and recognition of our own.  If our fear is grounded in God’s love it will serve us well as a healthy protections system as we navigate a fallen world and complex world with many emotional, spiritual, and emotional risk and dangers.   

Wisdom in Fear:

“The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” Proverb 9:10.  Wisdom begins its creation through fear.  Discernment that comes by listening to our fear in the context of God’s word, helps us choose the wisest course of action, one that takes into account our propensity to harm others, and values our potential to love.  Fear offers us the chance to decide or discern which direction to go.  When we move into life, we can risk truth and recognize potential harm.  Or as survivors we can hide by pretending fear isn’t happening or attacking the potential harm.  Seeing fear for what it is and acknowledging it offers new relational opportunities with God and people and initiates truth and Wisdom. 

Having a healthy and holy fear of God is a blessing because it helps us see God, others, and ourselves in the proper context.  From God’s perspective we as His sons and daughters are amazingly valued and tremendously vulnerable.  We need God and others to live healthy and purposeful lives.  We don’t have enough knowledge, wisdom, or power to succeed and thrive alone, yet we are completely responsible for our choices.  Healthy fear helps us recognize our need for connection with God and other believers. 

“Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him!” Psalm 33:8

Duane