Healthy Fear
“Then the dread (fear) of the Lord fell…”
The fear of God is a very special blessing and it is also a duty for the children of God. This “fear” is a holy reverence towards our sovereign Lord — a healthy and positive respect for God. We need this fear in many churches today, but it will not happen if the Word of God is not faithfully preached.
The fear of the Lord fell upon Israel, precipitating an unexpected, yet fabulous result: The whole nation, united as one man, battled against the Ammonites and was able to defeat them under King Saul’s leadership.
The fear of the Lord is needed today more than ever in all the nations of the world. As we watch the news or read the newspapers, we see how far humanity has drifted from their Creator. There is no reverence for the things of God in most places and immorality is the new morality. We have reached a very low place in the history of our nation and the world. Now darkness is extolled among the nations, while the light of Christ and his Gospel is object of ridicule.
This “fearless” attitude threatens to infiltrate our churches, and if it does, we shall witness the rapid multiplication of divisions and strife between brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Let us pray today to be filled with fear; the fear of God, which is able to transform a rebel into a responsible Christian. He who does not fear God, will be afraid of many things, including death; but the believer who fears the Lord; will be afraid of no one.
Do you fear the Lord?
