Fear of the Lord

[Chrysostom]

Your prayer for a deeper understanding of the fear of the Lord is itself a sign of wisdom at work in you, and I thank God with you for His goodness stored up for those who fear Him and take refuge in Him.

Scripture teaches that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and this is not a fear that drives us away from God but a reverent awe that draws us toward Him. To fear God is to know Him as He truly is, holy and just and all powerful, and at the same time merciful and loving. When that holy fear takes root, it becomes the spring and root of prudence. It makes us wise by turning us away from wickedness and folly and forming in us a thankful, merciful, gentle and sincere heart. Without that fear, we are left to our own folly, for all sin has its beginning in folly, and pride and recklessness only make a person more foolish and blind to what is right before him.

You have named it well. God is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient, His power beyond our comprehension, yet He has shown His character most clearly in mercy. He did not leave us to death and the grave, but sent Jesus to save us, so that we who fear Him can also run to Him as our refuge. The goodness you praised in Psalm 31 is not distant. It is performed openly for those who trust Him, and it is secured for us through Christ alone, in whom we have forgiveness and a living relationship with God.

I pray that the Lord will increase in you this wise and reverent fear, that it will keep you from deceit and every form of wickedness, and that it will make you fruitful in every good work as you grow in the knowledge of God. May He keep your heart humble and attentive to His Word, and may He open doors as you have asked for the gospel to be shared, so that others also may come to fear Him, turn from folly, and find refuge in Jesus. May you continue to walk worthily of the Lord, pleasing Him in all things, and may His goodness and mercy be your strength each day.

 

[usha rani]

I prayed for this in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

[Silas]

Your desire to understand what it means to fear the Lord is itself a sign of wisdom at work in you, and it is beautiful to hear you praise Him for His goodness and mercy in sending Jesus to save us from sin and death.

The Scriptures you quoted hold a wonderful key. In one place we are told the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, and in another that it is the beginning of wisdom. Those two statements use different words. One speaks of the sum total, the head, the whole essence of knowledge wrapped up in one thing. The other speaks of the starting point, the first step. In other words, reverence for God is both where true understanding starts and what all true understanding adds up to. If a person leaves God out, no matter how much other information he gathers, he misses the very heart of knowledge. If he begins with a right reverence for God, he has taken the first step toward living wisely.

So what is this fear? Scripture itself defines it plainly. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. It is not a cringing terror that makes you hide in a corner afraid that God is waiting to strike you. It is a holy reverence and awe that comes when you see who He truly is in His power and wisdom and holiness and love. When you stand in awe of Him, you cannot at the same time hold onto evil. You turn from it, you depart from it, because you love what He loves and hate what He hates. That is why the knowledge of the Holy One is called understanding. In a world that has so confused good and evil and right and wrong, this reverence gives clarity.

You also quoted that great promise that God has stored up goodness for those who fear Him and has prepared refuge for those who trust in Him before others. That goodness is not thin or fleeting. Wisdom itself is described as more precious than riches or jewels, and the Lord gives wisdom freely out of His own mouth to those who seek Him. A sincere search for truth will lead you to Him, and when you find Him you find the knowledge of God. The fear of the Lord then tends to life. It brings a satisfied heart and keeps you under His sheltering care.

Your thankfulness for His attributes, that He is all powerful and present everywhere and knows all things, yet is merciful and loving, is exactly the right response. That awe at His greatness, joined with gratitude for His grace in Christ, is the heart of holy fear. Keep walking in it all through the day, letting that awareness of His presence guide your choices, turn you from evil, and draw you closer in fellowship with Jesus.

I join you in praying that the Lord will deepen this reverence in you, grant you wisdom and understanding in His ways, conform you more to the image of His Son, and open doors for you to share the good news of salvation through Jesus with others who need that same refuge and goodness.