CWW Week 10 - Day 1 - Fear

Fear

Scripture: 

Proverbs 19:23 (NKJV): “The fear of the Lord leads to life, and he who has it will abide in satisfaction; he will not be visited with evil.”

People often say that the Bible is filled with contradictions.

That appears to be true at first glance but, as the Holy Spirit guides us to where we need to go step by step, those contradictions are soon swept away.

For example, our verse for today talks about fearing the Lord while others such as Isaiah 41:10 says “so do not fear, for I am with you?”

When I was young, my Dad was never present with me. I felt like I hardly knew him. He was always busy until I did something that made him angry. Boy I had his attention then.

But I loved him and so wanted to be with him. I wanted to please him and sought his praise and the affection that came with it at every opportunity I got. In my vulnerable and formative years I needed him to show me the way. I feared him in a healthy way. I revered and respected him as the source of my future. I dreaded the thought of losing him when my mum and dad fought all the time. My fear of him was filial, as in a childlike fear or obedience. It was not a servial fear as in submissive and cringing.

I fear my wife and she fears me in a filial way. “Happy wife, happy life” relates to this kind of fear. My fear of ever losing her drives my desire to make her happy and contented and she does the same for me. The crazy thing is that we have an unconditional love for each other that means that being apart for either one of us is never an option, but that’s what makes this kind of love so virtually indestructible.

Contrast this kind of fear in a happy marriage, to that of a domestic violence situation. This is where a narcissistic spouse or partner micro manages every outcome mandating the love of their partner creating a scene where the other person is afraid of punishment and withdrawal of support or caring.

As a fisherman I love the water and especially the ocean. I long to be on the water even as I write this devotional. Going to sea in very small boats can be dangerous and many times I stretched the boundaries with the sea to my peril. I loved her but my survival hinged on my fear of her. I knew how to respect her and I am still alive to talk about it today.

God commands this kind of fear. It’s a fear of reverence, for He who has the power to create and destroy everything we need to survive.This is a fear that commands my love for Him because he is my total source of survival. He makes all the critical decisions about my destiny based on my loving obedience of Him. My continuance depends on His love for me which is contingent on my love for Him. Everything of God is circular…. ‘made round to go around.’

The love I have for God casts out all fear as 1 John 4 :18 tells us. “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”

This means that my fear of Gods awesome glory means my greatest desire is to do what He requires. I am obedient to Him because I love Him.

When I was a crop dusting pilot, my first boss gave me a tip that stands well in all aspects of my life. “Hoody you will need to fly under the power lines every day. If you look up as you go under them you will fly into them. So make sure you can fit under every power-line on the job site and concentrate on flying as low as possible.”

He was right. I proved it the day I tested his theory and flew straight through the power line and was lucky to survive.

This is how I apply my life in my growing understanding of my relationship with God. My focus is on His love and not the fear. So everything I do is in love and obedience of Him and the fear of Him then becomes more irrelevant. I guess that’s what is meant by perfect love casts out all fear?

Fearing God is something you only have to worry about if you move away from Him. Love Him with everything you have and put Him above even your most cherished earthly relationship and you need not ‘fear the fear.’

FDR once famously said when taking America into WW2, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”

Questions

1. Can you begin to understand how Gods’ love commands fear of Him as a loving father and not a punishing dictator?
2. What needs to change in your life for your greatest desire to become obedience to your Papa God Father in Heaven?
3. Are you ready to start the process of ‘casting out all fear’ in your life?

Prayer

Dear Lord, Papa God.

Thank you for showing me the difference between healthy fear and respect that strengthens me and that dread that has me wanting to hide from you as Adam and Eve did when they ate of the forbidden fruit. Help me to stand strong against the darkness of dread and fear because I know Your love for me that drives the love I have for you. Thank you that you sent your Son Jesus to show me the way when He was able to withstand the torment of the cross because of His perfect love. Help me to continue to know you better each passing day. For this is my prayer in the precious name of Jesus. Amen

Graham Hood