Good morning everyone,

Exodus 20:20-Moses said to the people, "Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin."

The word fear can bring with it many negative thoughts when used especially in relationships. Because of the physical abuse that accompanies such a word for many abuse victims in our society, it is easy to allow our definition of it to be completely negative, without seeing any good it can be used for in describing a healthy relationship.

Even in the Bible it might seem contradictory to see the numerous passages where God tells us not to fear, but then read a scripture like today’s and then try and understand how to "biblically" have this emotion. Yet this fear is where we are to focus on God as the center of lives, and allow everything and everybody else to relate to this focus. Because the wrong kind of fear is what we usually allow to control our hearts and minds, so we find it hard to trust people. But this could lead to us unable to understand how to trust God while still fearing Him.

What are we fearing at the momemnt? Our bills, our future, kid’s future, people’s opinions, bosses, or our health? But not fearing our pride, jealousy, selfishness, greed, and lust (?). Jesus commanded us to fear God for what He alone can do, but also to warn us of what we shouldn’t fear (Matthew 10 vs. 28). If faith is real then the challenge is to constantly remind ourselves Who we are to fear and trust. I pray that we come to know Christ as worthy of both, more than anyone or anything else we may fear and trust at the moment.

In His Love, Ld