There are all kinds of things out there that make people
afraid. Some of those things are dogs,
mice, snakes, heights, the unknown, the dark, taxes, and that thing you are
thinking about that I did not mention.
Those things scare us because we envision them hurting us. We steer clear of them at all cost. We even feel anxious at the mere mentioning
of their names.
Fear, however, is not always about being afraid, about
something hurting you, or about total avoidance of that thing. I remember when I was a little boy living
next door to my grandmother and this yardstick she kept over the door facing. I cannot remember even one time her raising
her voice at me; much less her ever whipping me with that yard stick. I do remember her looking above her door
facing a few times at that yardstick.
That look meant a lot, even though I don’t remember her ever using it. Did I fear my grandmother? YEP!
But I was never afraid that she was out to hurt me nor did I ever try to
avoid her even when I was in trouble.
She demonstrated love for me in such a manner that it
made me respect her. Her love and
presence made me want to please her and do the right things in my life so she
would be proud of me. Did I ever get in
trouble at her house? I am sure I did,
but the thing I remember the most is her love; and her bread pudding, of
course.
Proverbs 1:7 (NLT) Fear of the Lord is the foundation of
true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
What causes you to be afraid? Many people avoid church out of fear of the
unknown. Many people have never really
given God a chance in their lives. They
are afraid of what will happen or what they will have to change. The question is do you have a proper fear of God? How is that fear being rightly demonstrated? What areas of life do you need to fear God
more? What areas of life do you need to
relinquish control over to the heavenly Father who loves you more than you can
ever imagine?In Christ Alone and continuing in prayer,
Chad Hensley, (Senior Pastor; HGBC)
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