Monday, August 28, 2023

Listen to the Word

Whoever fears the LORD walks uprightly, but those who despise him are devious in their ways.  (Proverbs 14:2)

This week we will look at several verses from Proverbs that instruct us to fear God. What does that mean? From today’s verse, it is clear that fearing God is the opposite of despising him. To fear him is to take him seriously, to treat him with respect. It is not that God is out to get us. But in light of his holiness and power, and in light of the fact that he is completely beyond our control, it is healthy to have some fear as we approach him. He is not a cuddly teddy bear. He is not your butler. As the kids learned about Aslan in C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia, he is good, but he isn’t safe. It is appropriate to fear him.

Live the Word

Take a moment to think about some of the different attitudes that are appropriate to have toward God (love, gratitude, etc.). Ponder for a moment how fear fits into that list of attitudes.