"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever." (111:10 NRSV)
Now, we know that we are to love the LORD, our God, with all our heart, our soul, and our strength (Deut 6:5), so what does this mean that we should fear the LORD? Doesn't scripture (1 John 4:18) also say: "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." All of this seems to be a contradiction, does it not?
Think of it in this way. Last week many of our children brought their report cards home from school. Some of them were afraid to show their parents their grades. They love their parents and their parents love them, yet they were a bit anxious about their parents finding out that while they were in school they were not focusing on the main objective and that would be to receive a good education so that they might have prosperous futures in this world. They had been busy doing their best at something other than what they should have been working on. So they were afraid because they did not want to be exposed. They did not want their parents to know that they had dishonored and disrespected their parents and themselves as well as their teachers and peers, by doing what they ought not and not doing what they ought to. It is not, hopefully not, that they were afraid of their parents. They feared the disapproval of their actions and inactions. They maybe even feared losing their parents love and respect. Maybe, some were just afraid of the consequences; that they might be grounded or have some privileges taken away until they can get back on track and start studying a bit harder. Out of love, parents will give consequences for not going in the way our children should be going. But, in all this, they do not stop loving their children.
There is no fear in love, yet do we not all, in some way, fear not being loved? And, who could love us more than He who was willing to die so that we might live in His loving presence forever? Over and over again I hear the worries of the people that they may have done something so horrible that God cannot forgive them. How could He possibly love them after all they had done? Like a loving parent, He corrects us, but He never stops loving us. For those who have the wisdom to know that they have not been following in the way of the LORD, our God and Father forgives you all your sins. In this you should trust and have no fear. Do not fear that you cannot be forgiven or loved. He loves you enough to die for you.
Praise the LORD, extol Him with all your heart! Thanks be to God for, in Jesus Christ, His love is made perfect for you!
God's Peace - Pr. J
Now, we know that we are to love the LORD, our God, with all our heart, our soul, and our strength (Deut 6:5), so what does this mean that we should fear the LORD? Doesn't scripture (1 John 4:18) also say: "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." All of this seems to be a contradiction, does it not?
Think of it in this way. Last week many of our children brought their report cards home from school. Some of them were afraid to show their parents their grades. They love their parents and their parents love them, yet they were a bit anxious about their parents finding out that while they were in school they were not focusing on the main objective and that would be to receive a good education so that they might have prosperous futures in this world. They had been busy doing their best at something other than what they should have been working on. So they were afraid because they did not want to be exposed. They did not want their parents to know that they had dishonored and disrespected their parents and themselves as well as their teachers and peers, by doing what they ought not and not doing what they ought to. It is not, hopefully not, that they were afraid of their parents. They feared the disapproval of their actions and inactions. They maybe even feared losing their parents love and respect. Maybe, some were just afraid of the consequences; that they might be grounded or have some privileges taken away until they can get back on track and start studying a bit harder. Out of love, parents will give consequences for not going in the way our children should be going. But, in all this, they do not stop loving their children.
There is no fear in love, yet do we not all, in some way, fear not being loved? And, who could love us more than He who was willing to die so that we might live in His loving presence forever? Over and over again I hear the worries of the people that they may have done something so horrible that God cannot forgive them. How could He possibly love them after all they had done? Like a loving parent, He corrects us, but He never stops loving us. For those who have the wisdom to know that they have not been following in the way of the LORD, our God and Father forgives you all your sins. In this you should trust and have no fear. Do not fear that you cannot be forgiven or loved. He loves you enough to die for you.
Praise the LORD, extol Him with all your heart! Thanks be to God for, in Jesus Christ, His love is made perfect for you!
God's Peace - Pr. J
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