Healthy Respect

I believe that there are healthy fears we all have, and it’s just part of being human. For example, if you work in a factory you would fear a forklift. If you are camping with your family, you might fear a forest fire spreading. Think of it this way — you’re not necessarily afraid of it, but you have a healthy respect for the power of a forklift or the power of a forest fire. I want you to consider these examples of healthy respect as we get to this idea of the fear of the Lord. 

The idea of fearing the Lord for new Christians or non-Christians may not sound acceptable. In our minds, it can make God seem intimidating or imposing. You may ask how do I wrap my mind around the fear of the Lord? Think of it as not being afraid of God, but instead, we are allowed to have a healthy and great respect for Him. 

This brings to mind the analogy of Hannah’s dog she grew up with named Mozart. This Shih Tzu dog wasn’t a highly-intelligent dog but was very cute. When anyone would come to the house, Mozart would run away terrified; he would disappear. Mozart was a coward. If Doc, Hannah’s dad, would pick up Mozart, he would turn into a tough dog. He would bark and be rightfully defensive and protective toward any visitors. 

Friends, this is what it means to fear the Lord. This is a great analogy for the Christian life. So often when we sense the Lord holding us in life, we have great respect for Him. This feeling of respect gives us personal strength towards the things we feel we just cannot face. God is right here, right now in your moment of need. He is not just on your mind, He is with you. And when you look at the challenges of life, imagine the Lord in a very good way, gently placing His hand on your shoulders and looking at the thing you’re stressed over. And maybe like Mozart, you know you can feel a little tougher and able to face life’s challenges.