Journeying together

It's been really interesting for me on the days that I take the train. I'm not sure who puts up the signs on the buildings I pass but there are two buildings (one for each route I take) that both have the same sign on it: 'Take Courage'. The last couple of years whenever I saw these signs, I kinda smirked and wondered who put them up and why. In recent weeks, I'd been reading a lot about living the crucified life and the fear of God. (In case you're curious, my current default non-Bible book is 'Embraced by the Cross' by L.E. Maxwell) I was rereading Luke 12 this morning: 'But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you fear Him! Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.' (Luke 12:5-7). Does it not strike you that on one hand we should fear and on the other hand we should not?

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10, 25:12, 112:1, Proverbs 1:7, 9:10...). So, how do we fear the Lord? You will have heard that it is a sort of reverence and awe but if you're thinking of just standing there agape or saying something like "...hallowed by Thy name...", I would wonder if that would be evidence of wisdom. I was looking up the definition of fear and of course, most of them is the negative kind, which I will get to in a minute, but there was one synonym which I  quite liked as a consideration: concern (Something that interests you because it is important to or affects you deeply, something that you give your time and effort to). What do you concern yourself with? This is a fear "for" God. What about the other fear? If the first is a fear "for" God, the latter is a fear of "everything else" which mostly includes the fear for self. If you think about it, concerning ourselves with the things of God, will be His concerns too (i.e. concern for others). One major point that I've read from the 'Embraced by the Cross' book so far, is our identification with Christ in His death and resurrection and what that means (i.e. living the "glorious" crucified life and glory as in God's type of glory which was so beautifully described in my last book- 'We Would See Jesus' by Roy & Revel Hession). This type of fear is removed when we have the first type. I think of the verses that replaces the first type of fear with that all encompassing power of love: 'There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love'. (1 John 4:18) This seems closely linked to that saying, "He who fears God, fears no man". One fear displaces the other and logically, I would choose to fear the one who has more power as Luke 12:5 suggests.

I guess I've been thinking a lot about this as I find myself in situations where the unfamiliarity is daunting, where I realise I have no control, where I find courage lacking and in general, where the concern has been for myself. the quirky and fun remembrance of a VeggiTales episode where there was a song that played "God is bigger than the bogey man" is just one of those simple reminders that when we look to God, who is for us, we need not be crippled with fear. As Casting Crowns so nicely puts it: "How refreshing to know you don't need me! How amazing to find that you want me". We are of far greater value to God than we can imagine and abiding in His love is the secret of full assurance and safety. Amazing Love, how can it be that thou my God should die for me!