Proverbs 1: 7 The fear of the Lord is
the beginning of knowledge...................................
Admit it or not, each and every one of
us feels fear once in a while and it is not a good feeling.
Oxford American Dictionary defines fear
as an unpleasant emotion caused by nearness of danger or expectation
of pain. Fear defines also as the reverence or awe felt for God.
When I think about it, it comes into
to my mind that there are a lot of things that I fear in my life.
Not that I am having that feeling all the time, but when I am
encountering what I am fearing of.
It can be:
- drowning coz I couldn't swim
- heights – I get dizzy just looking down from high places
- being apart from God
- thieves or drunk people
- animals that bit, bite and kick like snakes, dogs, horses
When I was a child, I didn't learn how
to swim. One day we visited a relative and we rode a passenger boat.
Suddenly the motorboat stopped. Problems with the machine. And I
remember, I was so afraid that the boat will turn around because I
couldn't swim. Luckily, it went well with us.
But, I always have that uneasy feeling
when I am riding a boat especially when the water gets rough.
I grow up in the Philippines and
although it is a beautiful country, one can encounter both thieves
and drunk people anywhere. And I know that these people can do such a
terrible thing. So everytime I am on vacation in my homecaountry,
there is always that uneasy feeling inside me. Fear!
And being apart from God is the worse
thing that can ever happen to me, because I know that because of him
I live and having this kind of life that I have now. Saved and
forgiven.
Maybe those that loves animals will not
like that I am scared of them, but I can't help it. I just don't feel
secured in their company.
Proverbs say that we have to fear the
Lord, coz it is the beginning of knowledge. Then I asked. But how
should I fear you Lord? Must I have that uneasy feelings always all
the time?
Then I examined myself.... I am afraid of
God? Do I have that uneasy feeling when I feel His presence or when I
read His words? Of course the answer is no. It is the opposite. To be
in God's presence is the safest place I could ever be. Then what kind
of fear is it?
It said in another definition that fear
can be reverence or awe felt for God.
Awe means respect combined with fear
or wonder and reverence is to honor as sacred. And that is
the kind of fear that I must have for God. And I believe that is for
everybody. God really deserved to be respected and honored after all.
And to think how wise we can be.....
The fear of the Lord is the beginning
of knowledege......
and the opposite........but fools
despise wisdom and discipline.
Job 28:28 And he said to man, " The
fear of the Lord-- that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding".
"Thought for the day"
I memorized Isaiah 41:10 for the times I am afraid.
ReplyDeleteHi Joy, this is beautiful! We all have fear or fears in our life. When my mother died I experienced how it feels the true meaning of fear. That moment when I had that tremendous feeling of fear I do understand why people commit suicide, it is an overwhelming feeling it will consume your whole being. How I come out with that feeling, I cling to God and claim what HE had promise me and believe that HE love me first and not me loving HIM first.A great post Joy thanks for the visit! I am a new follower now. ^_^
ReplyDeleteHi Joy, I guess my biggest fear these days (since I'm almost 70) is the fear of illness or alzheimer's as I continue to age. I know how important good nutrition is, along with exercise... Exercising the mind is also important... I guess I'll just do what I need to do--and hope for a long, healthy life...
ReplyDeleteI also have a fear of falling ---so when we hike, I am constantly looking down --watching where I am stepping...
Hugs,
Betsy
Joy, I used to have a tremendous FEAR of spiders - to the point of driving off the road because there was one in the car. Paralyzing fear. Truly. And I constantly and consistently saw them.
ReplyDeleteThrough hard, consistent work of using God's Word, I overcame that terrible phobia. Now I hardly ever see them. And when I do, I can actually kill one now instead of freezing in terror. HALLELUJAH!
I fear having another stroke, but, I know, God is with me.
ReplyDeleteI have exactly the same fears like yours mommy Joy. Btw I missed visiting your notepad, it's been a while. Glad I'm back :) Hugs.
ReplyDeleteYes Gracie. I am happy too that you are back:)
ReplyDeleteThe people who knew me too well always described me as "one tough woman". Analyzing my life and what I've been through I realized I am really one. But no matter how tough a person is, there is this one if not few things that "really scare the hell out of us".
ReplyDeleteMy greatest fear is "snake". Just the sound of its name really... aaaah! The irony of it is, I am born in the year of the snake lol.
But... I know that there's just one thing that can take away all these fears. Prayers - to the one and only God :)
Thanks for the inspiration Joy!
that's some perspective
ReplyDeleteHi Joy, I apologize for taking so long to visit. We were facing Tropical Storm Debby in Florida. We, who live here, never seem to get too concerned about TS, it is the hurricanes and such, but this TS packed a punch. Major flooding, tornadoes, serious erosion to our beautiful beaches, destroyed most of the nesting turtle eggs on the beaches, along with our Sunshine Skyway Bridge being close longer than ever before. We were not an island, as the other two bridges were still open, but for those who used the bridge that was closed, they had a 60 miles detour ahead of them each day to get to work. So a lot of hardship/suffering etc. Certainly, a lot of fear. Your post is exceptional, Joy. On Sunday night, I feared the winds. We are surrounded by huge oak trees, which I love normally, but not in the darkness of night, when I hear the wind roaring outside after torrential rains for 23 hours or more. They kept reporting that with all the rain, the ground was soaked and combined with the winds, trees could topple. Your words in your post went directly to my soul, a much needed post, I might add. Beautiful.
ReplyDelete