Fear

I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. [Psalm 34.4]

I had a thought before this writing about faith and fear... how they are opposites. However, as I pondered this topic further, I realized that, as bad as we think fear to be, it is something we should have for God!

For the angel of the LORD is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him. [Psalm 34.7]

So... if in Psalm 34.4 I am freed from all my fears, how then can I fear God as encouraged in Psalm 34.7?

There appears to be two different Hebrew words interpreted as "fear" here in this Psalm: The word for fear in Psalm 34.4 is the Hebrew word מְגוֹרַה (pronounced "meg-o-raw'") and the word for fear in Psalm 34.7 is from the Hebrew word יָרֵא (pronounced "yaw-ray'").

I won't even begin to engage in a scholastic comparison of these two words except to say they both have to do with what we understand today as fright or fear.

Here is a thought: although it would appear contradictory for God, Whom we should fear, to say, "Fear not," there is a depth of meaning here that only those truly engaged in knowing God will ever understand.

God is love. If in God, we are relieved of fear, then how can we fear God? Consider this verse in the New Testament:

Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. [1 John 4.18]

If we fear anything other than God, that fear is real and it is deadly. If however, we fear God, Who is love (and love expels all fear), then we have experienced perfect love in its fullness.

Yeah, we better "think" on this!

Father, may I be found fearing only You because only then am I truly delivered from all fear because You are love and You are trustworthy!