Do Not Fear

(Our Theme for June)

Proverbs 9:10 (NIV)

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

This season of our podcasts has examined some of the verses that tell us to “Fear not.” We are not to fear others who oppose us. We are not to fear dangerous situations. We are not to fear the future. We are to put our trust in God.

And so we should. But these passages of scripture do not mean that we should put aside the emotion of fear completely. A positive side of fear is that it makes us pay attention and to focus on what is in front of us and important to us.

That is what the writer of Proverbs is getting at in this verse.

In some translations of this passage, we see the word “fear” substituted with words like “respect” or “reverence.” These are legitimate meanings, but for me they fall short of the depths that the word “fear.” The power and might of God are awesome things to behold. They should engender in us some level of fear.

We should not stop with just fear. That fear should lead us somewhere. It should lead us to an understanding of the Almighty. It is, in the words of the proverbist, “the beginning of wisdom.” While I will never in this life understand the enormity of God’s love, power and grace, I want to come as close to that understanding as possible.

The fear of the Lord is where I must begin that journey.

Our Father, my prayer each day is to increase my understanding of the depths of your love and grace, Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Jim Stovall.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.