A Different Kind of Fear
I have never seen a slasher movie such as Friday the 13th or Nightmare on Elm Street and I do not recommend that you see such a movie. The movie’s main character and villain is Freddy Kruger.
However, for illustration, let’s assume that my wife and I went to see such a movie. Upon leaving the theater and before getting into the car, we would make sure that no one was in the back seat. Upon arriving home I would make sure that all my doors and windows are locked. I would make sure all exterior lights are on and I would probably wake up that evening to every creaky sound in the house. I’m not exactly sure how I would respond, but I know what I would NOT say.
Upon leaving that theater I would not turn to my wife and say, “After seeing that movie, I think Freddy Kruger loves me.”
Psalm 118:4 says, “Let those who fear the Lord say his love endures forever.”
The fear of the Lord is a different kind of fear:
Rather than a fear that causes us to hide, it is a fear that is gift-wrapped in the love of God
o “For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him”; Psalm 103:11
Rather than a fear that causes us to check the locks of our windows and doors, it is a fear that protects and cares for us
“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him and he delivers them” Psalm 34:7
Rather than a fear that drives us away from God, the fear of the Lord is a fear that engenders God’s compassion and draws us to him.
“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him” Psalm 103:13
Read Psalm 128 and discover some of God’s many blessings from fearing him.
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