On Fear

“Do not be afraid” is a phrase we hear so often. But it’s not just because God doesn’t want us to be afraid – it’s because fear is linked to our thoughts and our actions. It’s actually an order – a dare, if you will – to fear the right things. It’s a challenge to us to fear God, and to align our lives out of our fear of Him, rather than out of fear of people, the future, the past, or our surroundings.

Fearing the Lord, yet…

Notice anything interesting about the italicized sections of the passages below? (I know, I’m asking you to read something before I get to the point… but trust me, we’re going somewhere with this!)

“For so it was that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and they had feared other gods, and had walked in the statues of the nations whom the Lord had cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made. Also the children of Israel secretly did against the Lord their God things that were not right, and they built for themselves high places in all their cities, from watchtower to fortified city.”

2 Kings 17:7-9

“They feared the Lord, yet served their own gods-according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away. To this day they continue practicing the former rituals; they do not fear the Lord, nor do they follow their statues or their ordinances, or the law and commandment which the Lord had commanded the children of Jacob, whom He named Israel, with whom the Lord had made a covenant and charged them saying: “You shall not fear other gods, nor bow down to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them; but the Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm, Him you shall fear, Him you shall worship, and to Him you shall offer sacrifice… And the covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. But the Lord your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.” However they did not obey, but they followed their former rituals. So these nations feared the Lord, yet served their carved images; also their children and their children’s children have continued doing as their fathers did, even to this day.”

2 Kings 17:33-41

Did you notice how much of these Bible passages talk about remembering? These verses from 2 Kings tell us about people’s struggle to follow God alone, even though the narrator conveniently devotes line after line to reminding the reader of God’s miraculous and consistent provisions and promises to them.

The reason for their struggle to obey God, according to verse 7, is that they “feared other gods.” Then again in verse 33, “they feared the Lord, yet served their own gods.”

This brings up so many questions.

What am I afraid of?

Fear gives something the greatest respect – it means we acknowledge its power. It means we give our time, our energy, our appearance, our money, our habits to appease it.

So what am I afraid of? Verse 9 says that they built watchtowers and high places and fortified cities, obviously as lookouts and “protection” for the things they were truly afraid of. If I’m honest, what are the things that I build lookouts and watchtowers for? What are the things I fortify my heart against?

• Fear of others
• Fear of the future
• Fear of failure
• Fear of rejection
• Fear of loss
• Fear of discomfort
• Fear of instability
• Fear of death
• Fear of pain
• Fear of being alone
• Fear of sadness
• Fear for my children
• Fear of missing out
• Fear of not having enough
• Fear of not being enough

And… if these are really my fears… then what have I forgotten? What have I stopped reminding myself of? Have I forgotten what land God brought me up out of? Have I forgotten what He has delivered me from? And have I forgotten His promises to me?

The Gospel dares us not to fear

And the Gospel says… not that we simply do not have to be afraid of these things, but it dares us not to fear them. It dares us to fear God alone.

Because He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)

Because we are not afraid that the cross of Christ will lose its power (“For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News—and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power” – 1 Corinthians 1:17)

Because nothing can ever separate us from God’s love – not even our fears. (“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.” – Romans 8:38)

Because we are receiving an unshakable kingdom (“Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.” – Hebrews 12:28)

Because the Lord is our helper (“So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” – Hebrews 13:6)

Because we are only temporary residents here on earth (“And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.” – 1 Peter 1:17)

And because one day, every nation and tongue will come and worship the Lord and fear Him alone (“Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed.” – Revelation 15:4)

Lord, help me to live right, to think right, and most of all, to fear right.