What does it mean to fear the Lord?
This week I am teaching on Proverbs 31:30, our key verse for Charis Girls Ministry. I began to ask myself what does it really mean to fear the Lord. I grew up learning that it was to respect, but what does that really mean? How do you do that to an almighty God? So I decided to do some research and dig a little deeper into what it means to “fear the Lord.”
I have found that there are seveal types of fear mentioned in Scripture and are two main ones, when it talkes about fearing the Lord. The first is from the Hebrew word pachad which relates to the terrified response to God’s judgement and wrath. It means to dread or the tremble, the same fear uesd in Job 4:14 and Psalm 119:120. Although this is a very real experience, this isn’t the kind of fear that is spoken of in Proverbs 31:30.
The word here used is Yirah. Translated awe or reverence. You look at our God who is perfect and holy and yet forgiving and compassionate. I can’t fathom the fullness of who he is, and it seems like awe is a little bit better term than respect. I think a lot of times we look at reverence or “respect” towards God as taking off your hat in a service, or not wearing flip flops to church, or acting as though because we are in “church” that we are to be extra respectful. I don’t really see the point in this. I think we miss the point of who it is we are to be in awe of instead of what or where we are to be reverential.
I think out of fear of the Lord there will be a deeper faith, a deeper obeidience, and over all a deeper awe of who we serve. We walk around very flipantly as Christians thinking our Christianity is more of an action instead of a relationship, but I think if you truly want to fear the Lord, you have to look toward the relationship for the action, instead of the other way around.
Once we truly somewhat comprehend what it means to stand in awe of a perfect and might God, not because he can send us to hell in the snap of a finger, or because he has brought nations to distruction in days, but if we really stand in awe of Him because of who He is, then we will be that much closer to knowing what it means to Fear the Lord.
Whats in a name?
The more I am in ministry, and really the more I grow up into an “adult” the more I am disgusted and shocked of the roll of politics within the churches and conventions of today. I am not going to get on a huge soap box of how all politics are stupid, but it seems like politics within the church is nothing more than brown nosing to big shots so that you can get a church that you don’t deserve.
It use to be that people were chosen for a certain postion because of their character and their stance on certain issues. It use to be that people would actually PRAY and seek God before making any kind of decision whether big or small.
It seems now all you have to do is know the right people and buy them dinner, and poof you have yourself a mega church, or a big position on some board. How much different do you think our conventions and our christian organizations would be if they prayed more instead of going straight to the referenecs on the resume.
It seems to me God didn’t really go for the ones with flashy resumes or big names behind them. He went for those that could be paralled today to Mcdonald’s workers, or the grocery guy who pushes the buggy at the grocery store. Regular, ordinary people so that when all is said in done it is His glory and not that person’s.
Someone please tell me how to balance the political world with the plan of God? How does brown nosing and sucking up fit anywhere into God’s Man for the plan?
Charis Girls Ministry
So it is finally here, the opportunity is at hand, and I can not wait!! This Sunday will start up our Charis Girls Ministry. I am so pumped about getting to spend time with the girls, but at the same time am so scared and so humbled at the same time. Issues from pregnancy, to lesbianism, to dad’s cussing them out, and mom’s kicking them out, it breaks your heart.
As I was driving to work this morning I was going over what I am going to teach on and how I am going to introduce this minsitry to them, and the meaning of this ministry. I think many times girls or women’s groups can turn into nothing more than a gossip pow wow or a shallow lets talk about how we feel session. My prayer is that I will stay as far away from that as possible. Our key verse is Proverbs 31.30
“Charm is deceptive and beatuy is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised.”
How can you teach girls to fear the Lord? How do you teach them that boys and clothes are not even little crumbs compared to God’s love and grace that He has for us?
I can’t wait. Pray for wisdom and guidance in vulnerable times, and most of all pray that God moves to change my life and the lives of our girls.
