A Holy Fear

If you were walking along a street and lightning struck unexpectedly nearby, would you duck?  Would your heart pound?  Would you wonder what was coming next?  This is not the same kind of fear as that of judgment or punishment, unless, of course, you happen to have a really guilty conscience right at that moment.  This instead is a natural fear, an awe or dread of a vast power greater than yourself.  It asks the question, what is going to happen to me in the next moment. 

We meet this fear in Genesis 15.  God suddenly appeared to Abram in a vision.  His words to Abram were, “Fear not.”  We can assume that Abram had been rightly terrified at this appearance of God.  But the message was not just one of allaying the immediate fear; it was a message of assurance of God’s ongoing care for Abram.  Again the fear is to be overcome by the message of God’s grace as it was with Adam in the Garden. 

We can find this scenario again in Luke 5 where Peter and his partners are fishing and catch nothing. Then Jesus commands them to cast in the net again and the net is full to breaking.  Peter falls down at Jesus’ feet and cries out in fear.  The power of the Christ had overwhelmed him.  But Jesus does not depart as Peter asked.  Jesus instead called Peter and his partners to follow Him.  Fear was again replaced by grace. 

We want to repeatedly see that the will of God is not that we live in fear.  The Law teaches us that we are sinners and that God is Almighty.  The Law is given to us that we might see our need and turn to the Almighty God for salvation.  The Law is our guidepost from fear to grace.  The constant message of Scripture is that God is gracious and wants to bestow that grace on us.  He proved it through the cross where the blood of Jesus Christ was shed for our sins and God reached out to humanity in grace and forgiveness.  His message is “Fear not, only believe.” 

In Paul Rader’s comforting hymn “Only Believe” we find this call of assurance and grace.  “Fear not, little flock, from the cross to the throne, from death into life He went for His own; all power in earth, all power above, is given to Him for the flock of His love.  Only believe, only believe; all things are possible, only believe, only believe, only believe; all things are possible, only believe.” 

It is possible to have your sins forgiven, to have peace with God and hope forevermore.  Fear not.  Believe in Him who died for you. 

 

 

Visit my website at www.davidccraig.net for inspiring Christian books.  Coming this month is my newest book Taking Care of Joe.  This is the story of a caregiver for an Alzheimer’s patient.  See how God adds His grace in the face of this horrible disease and how living a life of love is living a life NOT interrupted.  You may also find some of my selected daily devotions at FEBC.org.  FEBC is a vital missionary outreach to many countries that are closed to traditional missionary work.