Fear the Lord … But Don’t Be Afraid
Deuteronomy 10:12–22
Recommended Reading: Psalm 33:18–22; Hebrews 12:22–29; Revelation 1:9–18
In his autobiography, Blessings in Disguise,
the late actor Alec Guinness wrote that as he was walking up Kingsway
in the middle of an afternoon, he had an impulse to start running. He
ran until he reached a little church. He’d never been there before, but
he caught his breath and knelt to pray. For the next ten minutes he “was
lost to the world.”
Guinness explained the compulsion as a
“rather nonsensical gesture of love,” an outburst of thanksgiving. He
ran to the church and fell on his knees in prayer not long after March
24, 1956, the day he had converted to Christianity after years of being
an atheist.
Guinness, in a move reflective of the movement of the
Holy Spirit in his life, learned in part what “fearing God” is all
about. Although Scripture uses the word “fear,” God doesn’t want us to
be afraid of him. Instead, he wants us to realize how magnificent,
awe-inspiring and deserving of our worship he is.
Interestingly,
knowing that God desires our worship also helps us understand just how
special we are to him. This can lead us into a more active relationship
with God. God always expresses his love in some kind of action toward
us, and he desires that we return our loving expressions in action, as
well as in trusting his leading and following his commands for our life.
God’s
love, coupled with our sense of awe and reverence, leads us to action.
It led Alec Guinness to run down the street and then fall on his knees
in thanksgiving and adoration. Perhaps you’ve only recently come to know
about God’s grace revealed through Jesus Christ. Perhaps you’ve been
his devoted follower for years. Or perhaps you’re just looking for a
fresh experience of God in your life. What actions will you take today
to express your “fear of God”?
Don’t be afraid to go for it!
To Take Away