“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,”
There is a sense of us being drawn back to regaining a greater fear of the Lord.
There are many questions hovering. One being how do we relate to God ? Conversely, do we relate how He would want us to?
“Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.”
God has prewired us with a capacity to fear.
The right fear in God keeps us in safety and with no room for fear of either man or satan.
Our solution to fear is fear.
“I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.”
There is the feeling of us being freshly chiselled to fit this new shape and what we pull away from for fear of being hurt is the shaping to fit into the new vessel that will make us ready to fit together and weather the storm and equally to carry His glory at one and the same time.
“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”
The liberating trembling in fear and awe to carry the kingdom safe space to everyone is one we are less averse to if our concept of Jesus is as a king whom we are honoured to stand in the presence of.
God delivers us from fear as we trust in Christ and as a king He puts a right fear within us that moulds our integrity, morality and righteous choices.
We have to be those who set standards. To know God in His fullness. His justice, judgement and virtuous as well as His mercy, love umbrellaed as one.
The complete revolution in reverence motivating obedience, virtuous well being.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”
If we sanitise God and make Him in our image we are in error, deluded and fear the world and the enemy more than God. We are compromised.
God will cast us down so that He can lift us up to rightfully be His image bearers.
Scripture consistently refers to our being in fear and trembling of God purely because to substitute this for respect, honour, awe and wonder dilutes our physical or overwhelming response.
It is a divine simplicity that God is who He is and there is no other meets His Goodness.
It is a trembling church that will arise transformed to encounter His visitation .
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!”
Leadership in all systems will prosper when those in fear of the Lord are placed into those positions.
“Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.”
Those who live by truth, humility and obedience. Who are consumed by God’s greatness and are not in fear of men.
God doesn’t call the qualified He qualifies the called.
We cannot be anyone else than who we are and yet He has made us perfect for our job.
David was the youngest and smallest and not an obvious choice to take down Goliath.
God doesn’t work to our expectation and logic but to His glory. We are perfectly picked.
We must allow God to use us and not shy away from that call and purpose.
The illustration shows God with hammer and chisel freshly shaping us to fit the new world he is creating. The kingdom of heaven here on earth. Light emanating to push back the darkness.
Seven Scriptures that come to mind:
“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,” Philippians 2:12 ESV
“Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.”Psalm 34:11 ESV
“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” Psalm 34:8 ESV
“I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4 ESV
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” Proverbs 9:10 ESV
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!”Psalm 111:10 ESV
“Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.”Exodus 18:21 ESV
The song Jubilee. Katie and Bryan Torwalt
Lessisgreater 