Since I was old enough to have personal possessions I have exhibited an inability to keep track of what “belongs” to me. Wristwatches, socks, books, keys, sunglasses, wallets, calendars, passwords…if it is not attached to my person or not one of my children (I have yet to lose one of them) the eventuality is misplacement or outright loss. It is pathetic, but such is my reality. When I read Tolkien’s The Hobbit as a youngster, I nearly cried with Gollum as he wept over his lost “Precious” and thought it antiheroic that Bilbo practiced “finders-keepers.”
There are things in this life that should never be lost. These things should be woven so closely to our soul even the possibility of separation would cause us to panic. Yes, I speak to things far more valuable than our precious cell phones.
One of many things our culture lost gradually over the past few centuries is the deep conviction that knowledge does not, and can not begin with human discovery. For millenia the worshippers of YHWH, God of the Jews, understood knowledge growing only out of the fertile soil of fear. Humans were afraid of a holy, magnificent, transcendent but omnipresent Creator. For many inquisitors, each major discovery in Nature connected itself to the God who served as its originator. In other words, when a breakthrough in the fields of what we now refer reverently to as “science” would occur, the discoverer handled the information as if he or she were witnessing some yet to be accessed part of God character, nature or work. The information itself was treated as holy and possession of it considered a weighty responsibility.
We lost our ability to be afraid of the revealed and exchanged the fear of the unknown in its place.
The now nearly forgotten hysteria over the H1N1 virus is just one of many contemporary examples of fear unrelated to Divine revelation. I remain surprised how many dramatically changed their behavior in order to avoid the possibility of contracting this particular flu strain out of fear of the possibility of death as a result of an unseen virus. It amazes me even more to see the reluctance of many who consider themselves Christian to make life change for no other reason than fear of the God who reveals himself plainly as the eternal judge.
I know that some dear reader is hyperventilating at this point, so I will confess that I am convinced God is a God of grace and that His love is boundless. I do submit for consideration that if God is a God of grace and love, how much more should I count as priceless the forgiveness he freely bestows on those who trust Him and actively fear even the thought of the loss of His gift.
Only when I fear can I exercise confidence that what I know of his longsuffering will be sufficient to rescue a wretched sinner like me.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs. 1.7, NASB)
TheNarrowRoadPursued 
II Timothy 1:7 – For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.
I hesitate to use the word ‘fear’ when I think or talk about God… at least when it means ‘afraid’ or ‘timid’. I certainly respect God above all else (understatement). Since I know that he is the very essence of good, I trust he will use his power correctly; since I am his child, I should have no fear of how he chooses to exercise his will.
Of course I KNOW this, but it is forgotten in the moment at times. Crippling fear can creep into life slowly and over time if vigilance isn’t kept. I have to remember that The Spirit of The LIVING God is living in me! What a wonderful, incomprehensible, amazing truth!
Great response Darah. I believe there is a difference between the fear of God (which arises from awe and respect) and the fear caused by not being in control or feeling one will fail. 2 Tim 1.7 lets the follower of Christ know the gospel may be shared with confidence even when the confessor is pretty sure the consequence will be unpleasant. Paul says, “Be bold even when persecution is inevitable.”
My favorite “fear-bender” in relationship to God is this verse,
“For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father! The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit what we are children of God…”(Romans 8.15-16, NASB)
Have you read that Hawkins (the small minded physicist who once allowed for the existence of an impersonal Creator God) has now determined that ‘nothing’ can absolutely result in ‘something’ so therefore, there is no longer a need to believe in any sort of ‘beginning’ or ‘Creator”. Hence, man need fear/revere “nothing” because “nothing” is the source of all that is.
Another slant on the topic: to fear/revere God is to acknowledge the complete holiness and truth of His character. Equally love and justice, grace and righteous anger, mercy and discipline, etc. and further He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Praise be to His Holy Name.
I had not heard that about Hawkins. I am not impressed by anything I read of him and the only time I have seen him speak was at a new conference where he was refusing to debate one of the premier disagreeing minds on this planet. (He said he was too busy.)