What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. (Psalms 56:3 KJV)Why? I’ve been told to fear the Lord. Are we not commanded to do so?
And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, (Deuteronomy 10:12 KJV)
This is not a contradiction. Knowing the power of God, respecting His abilities to accomplish His will and being aware of His will and giving ourselves to follow it would be defined as fearing the Lord our God. He has also told us not to fear.
He tells us, as he told a nation:
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. (Deuteronomy 31:6 KJV)
Greater than any of our fears is His love for us.
We love him, because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19 KJV)
He knows us, every one.
But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. (Isaiah 43:1 KJV)
Some may think He has forgotten them, but He assures us that He has not.
But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; (Isaiah 49:14-16a KJV)
He knows the outcome of our every action, even when we do not follow Him.
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. (Matthew 10:30 KJV)
He cares for us and will wipe away our tears.
He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; (Isaiah 25:8 KJV)
We are created for His glory.
Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. (Isaiah 43:7 KJV)
When we acknowledge His place in our lives, we are inseparable.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39 KJV)
(Photo from Wikipedia Commons - detail from Sistine Chapel)
Thank you for this post Grammy :) I needed it today.
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