Fear vs. Fear

 

       Welcome back! :) 

                   "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." Proverbs 1:7

  

     "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7

      I don't know about you, but I sometimes find it difficult to grasp the idea of fearing God & what that means. The Bible states over and over again the phrase, "Do not fear." Yet, it also says to fear the Lord & keep His commandments. How can this be?

  One of the very first rules of logic is to define your terms. Here, we are comparing two completely  different terms: fear & fear. 1ST DEFINITION : Fear ~ an unpleasant and often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger. 2ND DEFINITION : Fear ~ Profound reverence and awe especially towards God. Can you guess which one we are to abandon & which one to keep? 

   In Ecclesiastes, Solomon may seem like a bit of a downer. Basically, the whole time he is saying how pointless everything is. "I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless." ~ Ecclesiastes 2:18-19. Huh. Not exactly words of comfort, are they? 

   Even though his wording may seem a bit harsh, we have all been in this situation in some way or another. Six short months ago, our world was turned upside down by a pandemic. People who relied on work, fame, friends, and other pleasures of this world for their joy, soon learned that these were not reliable sources. Later on in this book, Solomon says, "Now all has been heard, here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil." Verses 12:13-14. If we look to God with complete reverence and awe, if we surrender all to Him, then nothing can shake us. I love the word "foundation." Foundations are so, so important because everything is built on them. If our foundation is God's word & a strong fear of Him, then we will be ready to face the winds of the storm. 

   A movie/book that has really helped me to understand God's goodness is "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe." My favorite quote from that movie is "He is not safe, but he's good." When I watched Lucy run up to him, hug him and laugh with him - it really hit me how good and personal God is. He loves us so, so much; yet He is also the Almighty God. He is the Lord of all, and we are not. No one can go up against God because we know how this story ends. If you have a strong walk with Him, looking to Him with awe is the only option. We can't help but wonder at His beautiful creation & to respect His power. 

 

 Now, being fearful is straight from the devil. Scripture says not to worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. The enemy plays to our weaknesses, and he is persistent. He even tried to tempt Jesus himself! There is not a minute gained by worrying about things that we can't control. God says to "Be still and know that He is God." 'Being still' is easier said than done, isn't it? Just think - what would happen to this broken world if we took a step back and let God do His job? Can you imagine what all would be fixed if this world just listened to the Creator? Part of fearing God is letting go of worry. When we let go of worry, we are saying that God is powerful enough to work this out. 

   "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. " Proverbs 1:7. I love this verse! Wisdom is something many strive for. To be considered wise is a great honor. King Solomon was full of wisdom & he pointed everything back to fearing God. Definition of "wise" : having or showing experience, knowledge, or good judgment. God is all-knowing, the true Judge, and the Creator. If we do everything for Him & hide His word in our heart, then He will guard our hearts AND our minds. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge! 

                             Why is this important to know as Christians? 

        There are many reasons why many do not come to the Lord. One could be the fact that they are scared to. The enemy may be whispering lies to them about God's goodness. The truth is that God is not a King Triton type of figure. If you make a mistake, He is not going to strike you down with lightning. He wants a relationship with His children. He uses His power to show mercy and grace. Although some events in the Bible might seem a bit harsh, everything points to Jesus, God's goodness, and His power. He LOVES us!! We don't have to fear man if we fear the Lord. God gives us a way out of worry, & that is through trusting in Him. 

     Thank you so much for reading! I hope that you have an amazing day and week, and please leave any questions/comments below! Lets be friends! Follow me on Instagram -> @memories_and_melodies