The other day I overheard part of a conversation my coworker was having with my boss. She was in the back doing dishes and I was out front, so I only caught snatches of what they were saying, but the main point was clear. She'd encountered someone or a group of people discussing the book of Revelation, and God's judgment. In the end, she mentioned the fear of God, stating that to have a fearful God and a loving God was a contradiction and He could not possess both attributes. "You can't have both fear and love," she claimed.
This immediately got me thinking. Honestly, I was taken aback, because to me, it was one of the most basic principles about God and I didn't understand how someone else couldn't grasp it. Then again, maybe it's a lot more complex when you stop and really think about it, especially when you haven't been learning about it for over a decade.
The first thought that came to my mind was parenting and my own father. Throughout my early childhood years, I greatly loved and feared my father. He held authority and power; if I disobeyed, I knew he could punish me and I would be miserable. Did the fact that my acting out could rightly earn punishment from him cause me not to love him? No. Did the fact that I loved him and knew he loved me cause me to reason and say, "Oh, he won't punish me, there's nothing to fear." Definitely not. I might have still misbehaved...children will be children!..but when my mother reminded me that my dad would be home from work later and would take care of matters, I quickly regretted my misdeeds.
God continued to bring this topic to my attention, as my Bible study described reverent fear in its lesson for today. There is a difference between reverent fear born out of respect, and miserable fear born out of terror and uncertainty. In one aspect, you at least respect, if not love, the person you know is in authority over you. In the second, you probably despise whatever holds power over you, and might even question its right to such power and authority. One brings healthy obedience, another breeds paralysis. One can still nurture love, peace, and comfort--the other only carries suffering.
And here's a fact I read in my Bible study that really jumped out at me (I'll paraphrase): There is a fear that is freeing, and there is a fear that enslaves.
One of the most beloved and well-known hymns, "Amazing Grace", contrasts these two types of fear:
Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
The first describes the reverence we hold for God, recognizing that He is holy and would be just to deal out punishment for our wrongdoings. It causes us to recognize when we are wrong and turn from evil. It is healthy, and consequentially, allowed the second line to come true: John Newton's miserable, terrified fear was relieved. He no longer feared damnation, for one, but we could add all sorts of other fears to the list that he found unnecessary after he placed his trust in God.
After all, if we have the healthy kind of fear for God, knowing He is a loving and just parent, we know that He is powerful. Powerful enough not just to punish us and teach us to do right, but powerful enough to punish those who afflict us, powerful enough to be in control of our lives when everything seems to be in chaos and we know we have no control at all.
Life is completely uncertain, and fear is a very real part of it. However, there is only one fear that brings peace and freedom. It allows us the certainty that God is working good (Romans 8:28), no matter the circumstances, because He is powerful enough. Because He is worthy of respect. Which type of fear are you allowing to rule over your life?
No comments:
Post a Comment