THE FEAR OF GOD
Like many Christians, and I’m sure many other people, the phrase, “the fear of God” is or can be confusing. I’ve read different sources, both religious and secular, and the explanation, of course, varies widely; everything from God is love, so why would I fear Him to God might destroy us body and soul if I make Him mad. The most attractive and helpful information I’ve found for understanding what this confusing phrase means is from the Hebrews who sometimes replace the word fear with the word reverence.
OK, now that makes sense to me because my understanding of fearing God is fearing the loss of God in my life. In other words, if I don’t revere Him anymore I’m totally on my own and I’ve learned, in truth, I’m powerless over practically everything in life on my own: I’m powerless over people, places, things, situations, and conditions whereas if I’m in His fold He goes before me to make the crooked places straight, He guides and protects me every day.
In my early years, when I was running around ignoring God my life was in a crumbling, degenerating mess, where I came within one drink of dying from alcoholism. Incredibly, I was so deep in the hell of my addiction that I had no fear of or any inkling of losing God in my life.
Finally, God suddenly put two people from the program of Alcoholics Anonymous in front of me saying exactly what I needed to hear; people I’d just seen fleetingly when I’d gone to AA a few of times trying to understand what they offered…………. It was my time, I was ready, my ego was defeated. I surrendered. They took me back to AA. That was many years ago and I’ve never looked back. I’m still an alcoholic and will be the rest of my life; however, I’ve never been so happy even with a deadly disease because I have the joyous fear of God.
It’s very simple for me, God is all there is. So, when I or anyone or even a nation decides that man is all that’s real and God is a pitiful little idea the weak, stupid, and frightened people, hang on to, they’re doomed.
I totally believe that the fear of god is reverence for God, total faith in Him, depending on Him, seeking all my knowledge and answers in life from Him…………. Praise be to God.
Jack