The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. Proverbs 9:10
To fear the Lord means so to love Him that His frown would be your greatest dread and His smile would be your greatest delight.
There is a fear that love removes, and there is a fear that love brings. The fear that love removes is the fear of punishment. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). The fear that love brings is fear of wounding the One we love. Jerry Bridges says, “The child of God has only one dread—to offend His Father; only one desire—to please and delight in Him.”
Where do we get this fear of the Lord? In one of the psalms David says to God, “But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared” (Psa. 130:4). We might expect David to say, “With you there is forgiveness and that takes fear away.” But that is not what he says. “With you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared”! Lord, Your forgiveness came at such a cost that we tremble when we consider sinning against this kind of love.
The fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom, is birthed at the cross. When you see the cross, as a forgiven sinner, and know the grace and mercy that are yours in Christ, you say, “How could I ever resist a love like this?”
Take in afresh the fact that the Son of God loves you and gave Himself for you, and that with Him there is forgiveness. Let His mercy birth in you the fear of the Lord that is the beginning of wisdom; the beginning of discipleship; the beginning of life.
When was the last time you really thought about the fear of the Lord? Meditate on it today and see how it affects the way you go about your life.
