In our last post we saw how our relationship with God -- real relationship that is -- begins with a healthy fear. Not merely awe or admiration -- real, trembling fear!
But I’m not talking about a slavish grovelling all the rest of our lives. I’m not talking about paranoia, where you are so restricted by what you imagine is God’s disapproval, that you can’t do anything creative or enjoyable.
Secular media often accuse Christians of promoting the above (or the media just try and ignore Him altogether.) But they’re the ones missing out. Because the fear of the Lord is only the bare beginning.
One thing that keeps me from being drawn away by the crowd is fear of the consequences as the illustration shows.
But do you really think this is what a good Father wants? His kids constantly trembling in fear each time they make mistakes? He might make it clear what the boundaries are, even enforce them, but he doesn’t want them to be staring fearfully at the boundaries all the time.
Let’s grow up! There are things you learn in life that can only be learned in healthy families. Many studies have shown how a healthy family, with the father present (in soul, not just in body) can not only give the child a huge advantage, but can affect whole communities positively.
Father God wants us to move on from fearing Him to being totally motivated by love. That foundation is still there, but we don’t need it to keep us serving Him. It reminds us every now and then that we don’t mess with Him, but the more we get to know Him, the less mess and more glory we get into. It’s a process.
As Karen said, once we learn what the Fear of the Lord really is, we find we don’t fear any man. It doesn't make us into frightened little wimps, It makes us .."as bold as a lion!"
So…. if the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, what is the end of wisdom? When do we finally “arrive” to ultimate wisdom? What’s the meaning of the whole universe? When can we say we’ve learned it all?
The trouble is, we’ve got this mindset that wisdom is a set of logical facts and behaviours that keep us from trouble or put us in a position of greater advantage.
But wisdom is not a set of thoughts or concepts.
Wisdom is a person.
1 Corinthians 1:30 (NKJV*)
“But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God….”
So to get real wisdom, you’ve gotta get Jesus.
In other words, get to really know Him.
The wisest, the strongest, the most joyful and the most wonderful people I've met are those who fear God, but also love God and Love people (although that automatically happens when God takes over.)
Relationships are totally different from concepts.
Concepts may change your thinking, but relationships change lives.
Concepts may be grasped, but relationships are a never-ending voyage of discovery.
I'm still on that voyage, and I can't see it coming to an end this side of eternity!
Why not start your journey with God now, by learning how to fear Him. Then build on that.
*New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
But I’m not talking about a slavish grovelling all the rest of our lives. I’m not talking about paranoia, where you are so restricted by what you imagine is God’s disapproval, that you can’t do anything creative or enjoyable.
Secular media often accuse Christians of promoting the above (or the media just try and ignore Him altogether.) But they’re the ones missing out. Because the fear of the Lord is only the bare beginning.
One thing that keeps me from being drawn away by the crowd is fear of the consequences as the illustration shows.
But do you really think this is what a good Father wants? His kids constantly trembling in fear each time they make mistakes? He might make it clear what the boundaries are, even enforce them, but he doesn’t want them to be staring fearfully at the boundaries all the time.
Let’s grow up! There are things you learn in life that can only be learned in healthy families. Many studies have shown how a healthy family, with the father present (in soul, not just in body) can not only give the child a huge advantage, but can affect whole communities positively.
Father God wants us to move on from fearing Him to being totally motivated by love. That foundation is still there, but we don’t need it to keep us serving Him. It reminds us every now and then that we don’t mess with Him, but the more we get to know Him, the less mess and more glory we get into. It’s a process.
As Karen said, once we learn what the Fear of the Lord really is, we find we don’t fear any man. It doesn't make us into frightened little wimps, It makes us .."as bold as a lion!"
So…. if the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, what is the end of wisdom? When do we finally “arrive” to ultimate wisdom? What’s the meaning of the whole universe? When can we say we’ve learned it all?
The trouble is, we’ve got this mindset that wisdom is a set of logical facts and behaviours that keep us from trouble or put us in a position of greater advantage.
But wisdom is not a set of thoughts or concepts.
Wisdom is a person.
1 Corinthians 1:30 (NKJV*)
“But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God….”
So to get real wisdom, you’ve gotta get Jesus.
In other words, get to really know Him.
The wisest, the strongest, the most joyful and the most wonderful people I've met are those who fear God, but also love God and Love people (although that automatically happens when God takes over.)
Relationships are totally different from concepts.
Concepts may change your thinking, but relationships change lives.
Concepts may be grasped, but relationships are a never-ending voyage of discovery.
I'm still on that voyage, and I can't see it coming to an end this side of eternity!
Why not start your journey with God now, by learning how to fear Him. Then build on that.
*New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.