Fearing God
“‘For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.’”
Today’s Text: Joshua 4:15-5:1 (Living Life Daily Devotional)
Joshua 5:1 goes on to say that when the people of Canaan heard that the Lord had dried up the Jordan so that Israel could cross, their hearts melted in fear.
The hearts of the enemies of God, the enemies of God’s people should melt in fear—if they insist on continuing to be enemies of God and His people. But that fear should be a powerful motivator to align themselves with God and His people, just as Rahab did, and not against Him.
Of course, back then, everyone believed in God. The only question was whether you believed that Yahweh is the only God and therefore worshiped Him exclusively. Even back then, the monotheism of Israel was unique.
Few people in the developed world really believe in the spiritual realms. I don’t have data for that, but that is my sense. Many, I think, would agree. The lack of spiritual sensitivity, generally, may be responsible for a greatly diminished fear of the Lord, generally—even among Christians.
But the fear of the Lord among non-Christians is different from the fear of the Lord for Christians. Both are based on believing the testimony about God and knowing that “the hand of the LORD is powerful.” There is no fear of the Lord for most non-Christians today, because they don’t believe in the supernatural. And so, they don’t believe in the testimony, either.
“Fear of the Lord your God” is reverent, awestruck wonder at His love and also His power. God has given us this testimony so that we might always fear the Lord. Do we? Do I?
Do I believe that God will break into time and space and move heaven and earth to accomplish His will for His people?
Yes, I do. But I also do not get to tell God what to do or how to do it or when to do it. He tells me.
And He has told me what to do (glorify God), how to do it (with my witness and with love), and when to do it (until He returns).
Father, You are God Almighty. You are God Eternal. You are Love. I confess that my faith is often week. I confess that the testimony of Your might acts falls on an uninspired heart sometimes. Forgive me. But show me Your power. Show me Your love. And change my heart to fear Your love with all my heart, soul, strength, and mind. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
