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| Mike Hosey, Elder |
The Bible tells us that the fear of the Lord is the
beginning of wisdom (Psalms 111:10).
This simple, yet profound truth, does not mean that we are
to be afraid of God. This is because the Bible also tells us that He will never
leave or forsake those of us who have given our lives to Him (Hebrews 13:5) and
that we can never be separated from His love (Romans 8:38-39).
Instead, what it means that we are to have a deep and real
respect for His power and awesomeness, as well as His right and ability to
discipline us (Hebrews 12:5-11).
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| See Attribution Below |
A few years ago I undertook a 40 mile kayak adventure. In
the first leg of that trip I came into some rapids. As I paddled toward the rapids, the nose of
my boat drifted toward the bank. I made a terrible mistake. I failed to keep my
boat pointed down river and into the run -- something I knew I should do. The
more perpendicular to the current I became, the more the current took control
of my boat. When the boat met the resistance of a rock jutting above the
surface, the current pushed the kayak over with a force well beyond my
strength. I capsized, and into the river I went. I immediately grabbed my boat with
one hand, and my paddle with the other, but the current was so strong that it
took me to the bottom of the river -- even with a life jacket on. I was dragged
underwater for I don't know how far.
When I emerged from the current (not unscathed) I had some
bad bruises, and a healthy respect for whitewater that I did not have before.
That respect had a bit of fear with it. But more than fear it had a sense of
awe. I wasn't afraid of the rapids, but I had a respect for them, and I was in
awe of them. I would run them again, but I would be very sure to respect their
power and might.
The fear of the Lord is like that. It means that we respect
Him, that we stand in awe of Him, and that we reverence Him. When we do these
things we are wise, because they incline us to be wary of what He wishes to
teach us, and to walk in those ways that He wishes us to walk, and to avoid
those things He wishes us to avoid.
Photograph: Gb1 at en.wikipedia [CC-BY-SA-3.0] or [http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html], via Wikimedia Commons. Greg Bulla
Photograph: Gb1 at en.wikipedia [CC-BY-SA-3.0] or [http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html], via Wikimedia Commons. Greg Bulla
OM! I totally agree! I had a similar experience in Michigan, Michael.
ReplyDeleteThe river was lazy and very slow then all of a sudden I see a sign but couldn't read it quick enough. By the time it sunk in I was on a #3 Rapid heading for a Bay that ran into Lake Michigan.
I did the same thing and got caught on a rock, the boat filled with water and I felt that fear rush in!
God is definitely working in that way with me! It's good to know that fear of Him so we can let him work on us!
Thanks for your Blogs. I really enjoy reading them.
Keep on Bloggin'
Cher B.
Thank you very much Cheryl! I'm glad u got out of that!
ReplyDelete