“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

–Proverbs 9:10

I’ll be honest: I’ve been wondering lately why so many people I know, even many pastors and evangelists, speak so flippantly about spiritual things.  I wonder that professing Christians can so confidently live the way they do, as if God does not see or does not care. 

And I don’t wonder this in an arrogant way.  Quite the opposite, actually.  Because I also wonder how so many who grew up in the church can think that they are better than the truly redeemed and changed person who lives passionately for God now but who once had a sinful past. 

Sometimes I wish we could stand before God for a moment, really glimpse His Holiness.  When Isaiah did, he didn’t tell God the latest joke he’d heard about sin or stand tall and brag about his purity or his accomplishments, rather he cried, “Woe is me!  For I am undone and ruined, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isaiah 6)

Sometimes I wish we could stand before Him there, that we would feel as Isaiah did, that we could live the rest of our lives in the wisdom of the correct fear of the LORD.  We say that we fear God, but so few even give Him the respect of reverence reserved for earthly kings.  Thusly, we say that we love Him, but it is merely as we love the things and people of this fallen world—and sometimes barely that.

Have you ever seen the t-shirts that say “Jesus is my homeboy”?  We are not called to love Him like that.  We are called to take up our cross, to leave all, to bow our hearts low before Him, to obey Him perfectly, to love Him as LORD.

Just think about Who God is for a few minutes—not who you once perceived Him to be, but Who He is according to the Bible.  Imagine yourself in His throne room, terrified with Isaiah as you would do well to be. 

Then think how He Loves you, that instead of destroying you, God gave His only Son to die in your place and bear the punishment for your sins.  He Loves you that much—although you are so sinful that He had to go to such lengths, through such torturous pain and shame and hell itself, to redeem you!

Do you love Jesus as LORD?  Do you love Him as one who wisely fears Him?  Then you will live like it.  You live according to your love and fear—or lack of love and fear—of Him and all else. 

Do you love Him as LORD?  Do you fear Him as LORD? 

Then bow your heart, relinquish your rights, conform yourself—follow Him!

“I will extol the LORD at all times; 

His praise will always be on my lips.

My soul will boast in the LORD; 

let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

Glorify the LORD with me; 

let us exalt His name together.

I sought the LORD, and He answered me; 

He delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to Him are radiant; 

their faces are never covered with shame.

This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; 

He saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, 

and he delivers them.

Taste and see that the LORD is good; 

blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.

Fear the LORD, you His saints, 

for those who fear Him lack nothing.

The lions may grow weak and hungry, 

but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Come, my children, listen to me; 

I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

Whoever of you loves life 

and desires to see many good days,

keep your tongue from evil 

and your lips from speaking lies.

Turn from evil and do good; 

seek peace and pursue it.

The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous 

and His ears are attentive to their cry;

the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, 

to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; 

He delivers them from all their troubles.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted 

and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

A righteous man may have many troubles, 

but the LORD delivers him from them all;

He protects all his bones, 

not one of them will be broken.

Evil will slay the wicked; 

the foes of the righteous will be condemned.

The LORD redeems His servants; 

no one will be condemned who takes refuge in Him.”

Copyrighted material, used with permission.