The Gift of Fear

Monday Devotional

The Gift of Fear

I feared the anger and wrath of the LORD.

Deuteronomy 9:19

If I could preach only one sermon to the church today, it wouldn’t be about faith.  We hear more about faith today than ever before in the history of the church.

It would be about fear.

Moses felt motivated by a godly fear of a holy God: “I feared the anger and wrath of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 9:19).   According to the book of Isaiah, Jesus had more than mere wisdom and understanding and knowledge; he also lived with a healthy fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2-3).

Biblical fear is more complex and profound than what we usually think of when we use the English word fear.  It isn’t defined fully by the words terror and dread.  Although it encompasses these emotions, it also carries the idea of a passionate love, the positive desire to please God, and a worshipful awe.