Scripture

Luke 1:50

“And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.”

Muse

In Luke 1:50, we are presented with the concept of fearing the Lord. The emotion of fear is often associated with negative experiences, and tying this emotion to our relationship with our loving heavenly Father may seem contradictory. Let’s focus on the purpose of fear for a moment. Biologically, fear is a protective function that alerts us to danger and cautions us to be careful. Fear not only protects us from physical harm, but can also protect us spiritually. When we have a proper fear of the Lord, we understand His true power and authority. It leads us to acknowledge that the mighty Creator who holds our lives in the palm of his hand is worthy of our reverence and honor. From this posture toward the Lord flows our desire to turn away from sin and glorify Him through obedience.

The fear of the Lord is reiterated many times throughout the Bible, emphasizing the gravity of this concept. The book of Proverbs highlights the stark contrast between the path of the wise, which is marked by the fear of the Lord, and the path of the foolish, marked by the absence of fearing the Lord. The bible is clear about the outcome of each path:

Fearing the Lord: “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death” (Proverbs 14:27).

Making light of the Lord: “Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord, since they would not respect my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their way and be filled with the fruit of their schemes” (Proverbs 1:29-31).

Those who lack a fear of the Lord fail to recognize His sovereign power. When we do not revere the Lord, we hold a higher regard for our own fleshly desires than His holy instruction. This brings disunity into our relationship with the Lord because we are rejecting his authority over our life. Conversely, fearing the Lord leads to an intimate relationship with God as we seek to align our daily pursuit of holiness with the commandments he has given us. This path leads to growth in wisdom, freedom, joy, and Christ-likeness.

Our World

Cultivating a fear of the Lord begins with knowing the Lord. Through scripture, God has revealed his character to us. When we take the time to intentionally behold the holiness and power of God, we tremble in awe of his greatness and are reminded of our need for Him: The God of creation who sent down his only son to die for our sins loves us unconditionally. I know for me, I can often forget my need for the Lord. I sometimes ignore the significance of God’s presence in my life or suppress the truth of God’s word by diminishing my sin. To trade our desires for God’s desires, we must draw near to Him and hold the scriptures to be true. To reflect on our posture before the Lord, let us consider the following questions:

• How have you become numb to the power of God in your life? How can you meditate on God’s character and the truth of the gospel to cultivate a proper fear of the Lord?
  
• In what areas of your life do you suppress the truth of God? (making compromises, justifying sin, picking and choosing which aspects of scripture are worthy of obedience, etc.)
  
• What is the outcome for a life void of the fear of the Lord? How have you seen this play out in your life?
  

Prayer

Dear Lord, fill me with awe and wonder in the face of your magnificent power. You are capable of all things and sovereign over all things. Fill me with humility and proper fear as I acknowledge your authority over my life. Please reveal yourself to me and remind me of my need for you every day. Fill my heart with the overwhelming desire to honor you in every aspect of my life through obedience. Sanctify me, Lord, and help me to walk in wisdom and truth.

Amen.