Imagine two children. Imagine that one child has a parent who lets him run rampant, lets him do whatever he pleases without consequences, and generally ignores his actions. Imagine that the other child has a parent who pays close attention to her comings and goings, disciplines her when she disobeys, and teaches her how to live to be healthy and successful.
As a child yourself, which parent would you feel more secure with? Choose for yourself, but having grown up with good parents who set good boundaries, I always felt secure and it doesn’t take too much intuition to know that a child with no discipline will grow up troubled. A child who grows up with a parent who teaches her the way that she should go can rest easy, knowing that she is in good hands and that the path she takes is right.
Without further ado we come to Exodus 20:20-
Moses responded to the people, “Don’t be afraid, for God has come to test you, so that you will fear Him and will not sin.”
Wait… how can Moses say “Don’t be afraid” and then in the same breath say that they are meant to fear God? The readiest explanation is that the fear of God is a healthy fear- an acknowledgement and acceptance of his sovereignty and amazing power, the realization that with a single word He could reduce us to ashes, and yet the understanding that He chooses instead to love us and guide us with a hand that is, more often than not, gentle.
The testing of our faith brings endurance (James 1:3). And when we fear God, we don’t have to fear anything else.
Fear Not # 6- He tests us so that we will not sin.
Fear Not # 5- He will fight for us.
Fear Not # 4- He will go down with us and He will bring us back.
Fear Not # 3- He is with us.
Fear Not # 2- He hears us in the place where we are.
Fear Not # 1- He is our shield.
