“I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Psalms 36:1)
When the David saw the sinfulness of the wicked, his heart told him this could be. “There is no fear of God before the wicked one’s eyes,” he explained, and in saying this, revealed to us the nature of sin. When men no longer fear God, they break His laws without hesitation. THE FEAR OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN MAKES NO DIFFERENCE WHEN THE FEAR OF GOD IS GONE.
In bible times men of God were said to “walk in the fear of God” and to “serve the Lord with fear.” Whatever their level of intimacy in their relationship with God, however bold their prayers, at the base of their religious life was the understanding of God as awesome and dreadful. This idea of God’s awesomeness runs through the whole Bible and gives us a better understanding of the commitment of the saints. This fear of God was more than a fear that something unpleasant was going to happen as a result of disobedience; it was a non–rational dread, a very serious or dangerous feeling of our personal insufficiency in the presence of God the Almighty.
Notice Isaiah’s reaction to an encounter with the Lord: “Then I said, “WOE IS ME, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes, have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” (Isaiah 6:5)
Then an angle flew in and touched Isaiah’s lips with a hot coal and cleansed him!
Now, Daniel was praying and fasting and an angel appeared: “I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see it, but such TERROR OVERWHELMED THEM that they fled and hid themselves. So, I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I HAD NO STRENGTH LEFT, MY FACE TURNED DEATHLY PALE AND I WAS HELPLESS.” (Daniel 10:7-8)
Our Abba Father is such a loving, saving and miracle working God! He has done MANY WONDROUS THINGS IN OUR LIVES, of which I, for one, am so thankful! Jesus taught us that the most important commandment is for us to: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matt. 22:37)
Let’s look at the order of things: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!” (Psalms 111:10)
So, we first fear God, then we love God! Why is that so important? Because the fear of the Lord motivates us to ask for forgiveness of our sins and when He saves us, forgives us and cleanses us, then, we just fall in love with Him!!!
THANK YOU, FATHER, FOR GIVING UP YOUR ONE AND ONLY SON!
Oh, Lord refresh our fear and love for you…Bill Stockham