Tag: The Fear of God

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The Fear of God

Daily Reading

Habakkuk 1-3; Zephaniah 1-3

Daily Thought

The prophet Habakkuk cries out to a righteous God, “You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent?” (Habakkuk 1:13). The powerful Chaldeans are wicked people and they are attacking us. God, do you not see the evil in this world?

Mr. Dubose was the mean neighbor in the white house three houses down from my childhood home. One day, playing kickball in the street, the ball went astray and hit the rear tire of his corvette. Mr. Dubose held the ball out for me to retrieve, but as I approached, he reared back and fired it into my chest knocking me over. This was Goliath versus David, the Chaldeans versus Israel, Mr. Dubose versus 7-year-old me. Except I have a dad and my dad came out and had a “talk” with Mr. Dubose. My dad was a Marine in World War II and fought in the battle of Okinawa. I had never seen my dad fight (and never would), but as I watched him talk with our neighbor, I gained a sense of what he was capable.

In chapter 2, God responds to Habakkuk: “Woe to him who heaps up what is not his own” (v 6); “Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house” (v 9); “Woe to him who builds a town with blood” (v 12); “Woe to him who makes his neighbors drink” (v 15); “Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise!” (v 19). God may be unseen, but he sees all. He sees all the plunder, the pride, the warfare, the debauchery, the idolatry, so he has a “talk” with the Chaldeans, but these woes are more than a warning to an evil people, they are words of assurance to God’s children. Habakkuk can rest; he belongs to God. God is by his side and on his side.  

Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble
to come upon people who invade us. ~Habakkuk 3:16

Mr. Dubose did not change. He remained the mean old man in the white house, but he did not frighten me anymore because I knew my dad was here, he was capable, and he cares. 

On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Fear not, O Zion;
let not your hands grow weak.
The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love.  ~Zephaniah 3:16-17

Daily Prayer

My God, Yours is the Name above all names. There is authority in Your Name, and in Your Name I find life. Your Name is holy and good, righteous and powerful. I know this and I am learning to trust You. And as I learn to trust You, I find rest. If you are for me, who can be against me? I am glad You are here, You are almighty, and You love me. 

What foe shall I fear when God is my friend.

Amen

Daily Question

Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” What does that mean?

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Insomnia’s Cure

Daily Reading

Psalm 74-77

Daily Thought

“I can’t sleep!” That’s what Psalm 77:1-4 says, and we’ve all been there. Something is turning over and over in Asaph’s mind, troubling his thoughts, “You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled I cannot speak” (Psalm 77:4). He is focused on the problem and he cannot figure it out. The problem is a big one, Babylon has captured Judah and there is no more Israel. It seems God no longer cares, “Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” (Psalm 77:9). Israel’s constant rebellion has finally taken its toll and God has given up and is no longer listening. 

That’s what it seems, anyway.

Then change comes, not in God, but in Asaph. “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old” (Psalm 77:11). Asaph stops thinking about Babylon and remembers Egypt. Babylon is about captivity; Egypt is deliverance. God does not give up; he saves his people.

When the waters saw you, O God,
when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
indeed, the deep trembled. ~Psalm 77:16

Babylon, like Egypt, did not fear God. How foolish. Water fears God! And obeys his word. The seas parted, Israel escaped, Egypt met God’s vengeance, and Asaph remembered and it gave him rest.

Your way was through the sea,
your path through the great waters;
yet your footprints were unseen.
You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron. ~Psalm 77:19-20

You should fear God, Babylon. It should keep you awake. And Asaph, go to sleep. 

“Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples.” ~Psalm 77:13-14

Change comes, not in my circumstances, but in me, when my focus shifts from my problems to my God

Daily Prayer

My Creator, You are Lord of all. You establish justice and promote righteousness. You have made Your ways known, Your Laws are clear and they are good.  May I ever remember that You do not change, and that is good. You are always holy, always good, always just, and always gracious, so no matter how bad my circumstances, they will change before You do. I can count on You God, always. May I always remember that.

I will walk in Your ways, God, because Your path is straight. It gets me where You want me to go, and that is a good place.

Amen

Daily Question

Do you fear God? Why or why not?

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I Can’t Sleep

Daily Reading

Psalm 74-77

Daily Thought

“I can’t sleep!” That’s what Psalm 77:1-4 says, and we’ve all been there. Something is troubling and turning over and over in Asaph’s thoughts, “You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled I cannot speak” (Psalm 77:4). He is focused on the problem and he cannot figure it out. The problem is a big one, Babylon has captured Judah and there is no more Israel. It seems God no longer cares, “Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” (Psalm 77:9). Israel’s constant rebellion has finally taken its toll and God has given up and is no longer listening.

Then change comes, not in God, but in Asaph. His focus shifts–from his problem to his God, “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old” (Psalm 77:11). He stops thinking about Babylon and remembers Egypt. Babylon is about captivity, Egypt is deliverance. God does not give up. He hears his people and we are his people.

Now, Babylon, like Egypt, did not fear God.“The skies gave forth thunder; your arrows flashed on every side. The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook” (Psalm 77:17-18). You do not fear God, are you kidding? Water fears God! Clouds obey him, and you don’t fear God? The seas parted and Egypt met God. You should fear God, Babylon. 

I fear God and it lets me sleep because, “Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples.” ~Psalm 77:13-14

Daily Prayer

My Creator, You are Lord of all. You establish justice and promote righteousness. You have made Your ways known, Your Laws are clear and they are good.  May I ever remember that You do not change, and that is good. You are always holy, always good, always just, and always gracious, so no matter how bad my circumstances, they will change before You do. I can count on You God, always. May I always remember that.

I will walk in Your ways, God, because Your path is straight. It gets me where You want me to go, and that is a good place.

Amen

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The Fear of God

Daily Reading

2Samuel 1-3

Daily Thought

The second book of Samuel begins where the first ended, the death of Saul, but the stories disagree. In both accounts, the Philistine victory over Saul is imminent. Saul, wounded with arrows, instructs his armor-bearer to finish the job. “Kill me,” he says. But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it (1Samuel 31:4). However, turn the page and an Amalekite soldier tells it differently. When Saul said, “Kill me,” according to the Amalekite, “I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord” (2Samuel 1:10). Which is it? How did Saul die?

Here’s the situation: while Saul and his army were fighting the Philistines, the Amalekites had attacked the city where David lived. The Amalekites were a sworn enemy of Israel. They had plundered the city and taken the women and children. David and his men pursued them, caught them, and killed them. It was not a good day to be an Amalekite. The second story-teller is an Amalekite.

It is likely this Amalekite knew both David and Saul had claim to the throne and believed the death of Saul would be the delight of David. He did not, however, know David’s God. If he had, he would not have boasted of killing God’s anointed. He inserted himself into the story of Saul’s death anticipating a happy David and a possible reward. Instead, “David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword” (2Samuel 1:11-12). The surprised Amalekite was rewarded with execution because by his own mouth he claimed, “I have killed the Lord’s anointed.” He changed the story because he feared David. He should have feared David’s God.

Daily Prayer

Lord God Almighty, You are on the throne. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth, in my life, here and now, and forever. May Your Name be known, may every knee bow and confess You Lord. God, you are most terrifying to those who do not fear You.

God, I serve You and only You. May my love for You be seen in my obedience to Your ways, my allegiance to Your will. May I see sin as You do, and may it grieve me, as well. May I find no pleasure in it. Rather, when I serve You, I serve the highest good, so may I delight in Your pleasure. May I never lose sight of who truly is my God and my Savior. May I keep my eyes on You.

Amen