Fear is an emotion that most of us have to face. Most fears are paralyzing and are unhealthy, but there is one fear that is healthy and has many benefits to us. The fear of God is a healthy fear that brings life to the believer.
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, To turn one away from the snares of death. Proverbs 14:27
The fear of God is about paying close attention to His ways and His will. To know His ways, we need to read the Word, pray, listen, and obey His instructions. The fear of God is about recognizing that He is the ultimate ruler, He is powerful, and He will do what He has said in His word. It is about taking Him seriously and not treating Him as an ordinary friend for He is Holy! The fear of God keeps us from hidden sins. It motivates us to be honest because we are accountable to God. The fear of God protects us from foolishness and bad decisions. The fear of God produces a fountain of life!
The above scripture is a reminder of Jesus declaring that He is the living water. Water is essential for our existence. When people fast, they are still supposed to drink water to ensure their bodies and organs continue to function appropriately.The fountain of life provides good clean water that quenches our thirst and keeps our spirit, soul, and body healthy. No other fountain can satisfy the desires of our hearts!
In our modern day, we take clean water for granted because it’s available to us in variety of ways. However, in poor third world countries, clean water is a luxury. Many have to live with polluted waters for drinking, bathing, and washing. They have no irrigation or no access to a well to draw clean water from. The problem is so severe, that many non-profit organizations raise money to build wells for poor people around the world.
As believers, sometimes we take for granted the fountain of life that quenches our thirst and keeps our souls and bodies healthy. At times, God’s fountain of life seems boring. We like the adventure of trying something new by going to unknown fountains and experiment with different waters to quench our thirst. After all, we have the freedom to choose anything we want! In the process, other fountains pollute and compromise our spiritual health. This is where the fear of God reminds us that we should stay close to the clean and unpolluted water and not drink from any fountain out there.
There are many fountains that appear to provide living waters. Self-help gurus appeal to our flesh and tell us by thinking positively and taking care of number one, we can be healthy and confident adults. There are those in the Christian community, who focus on the grace and mercies of God without challenging the people to fear Him and stay within His boundaries. We cannot maintain spiritual health apart from regularly receiving from the fountain of life.
The above scripture tells that the when we truly honor and revere God, it becomes the source of life and health in our lives. The fountain of life provides health and wholeness and keeps us from the snares of darkness and spiritual diseases. In turn, we become source of life to others because God’s life flows through us.
When was the last time you heard a sermon about the fear of God?
