Start with fear

Scriptural Readings:

Proverbs 9:10

What if living in fear was the only path to a fulfilling and enjoyable life? The only driving force to gain success. It has an eerie quality to it. Correct? There is something weird about telling us what to do that we would never want to experience our entire life. Is it essential to start with fear? Fear is something no one wants to experience from beginning to end.

Proverbs 9:10

King James Version

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

New Living Translation

The fear of the Lord

As we read and study the Holy Bible, we are to become familiar with the true meaning of fear so as not to take it out of context. It is the moment God takes our attention, time, and effort for Him for our good.

Fear plays an integral role in our divine life. However, our fear of life's challenges prevents us from facing them. We often assume we've hit our breaking point, throw in the white towel, and signal our defeat. While this is the actual picture, and it instills terror at first glance, in the spiritual realm, it reveals holy wisdom. God wants us to reorganize and retreat to the drawing board to establish the principal strategy, His will. We fulfill a divine commandment as we read and study the Holy Bible. How?

To further understand the meaning of fear, especially in its spiritual sense, we need to see the original text in its original language. In this way, we can historically see how we can compare it today.

Fear's true purpose is to instill in us what God desires in our holiness. The word for "fear" in Greek is synonymous with three English words: One. δειλία, transliteration: Delia (di-lee'-ah), in English: Cowardice. Two. φόβος, transliteration: Phobos (fob'-os), in English: Panic flight, fear, the causing of fear, terror. And finally, εὐλάβεια, transliteration: (Evl áveia), in English: Piety.

In Hebrew, the word "fear" is יָרֵא: Transliteration: yare'. Phonetic Spelling: (yaw-ray). Although written as afraid in Genesis 3:10, the meaning is to fear, revere, and cause to frighten.

Fear, however, needs to be put into perspective from time to time. Reverence to our parents is a fear that reveals more respect and does not weigh in, or more likely, a fear of a spider or the future.

Most of us have fears, and we have them specified. Claustrophobia is the fear of closed space, while arachnophobia is the fear of spiders, to mention some. Is there a cure for our fears in life? Interestingly, two kinds of cures have caught my attention. The first is exposure therapy. This kind of remedy gradually exposes one's fear in a safe environment. It will help the person tolerate uncomfortable feelings and manage anxiety. The second is facing their fears. This approach involves gradually exposing oneself to fearful situations, starting with the least challenging ones. The input text suggests the essential of allowing the experience of fear and not avoiding it. The advice in the text is to stay with the fear until it decreases by half.

When we acknowledge the coexistence of two separate fears, earthly and divine, various repercussions can be predictable. The worldliness of these fears is apparent through the tangible sights and sounds accompanying them, while the godly fears evoke a sense of spiritual presence through subtle scents and profound feelings. Most importantly, the fear (εὐλάβεια), (יָרֵא) of God serves as a reminder of His profound care for us.

The beginning of wisdom

Divine fear has to become an inescapable reality, a constant reminder of the impending judgment that looms over humanity, and on our knees to know more about His will. Living now at the end times, as the Bible prophesied, Christians should have a sense of divine fear. It is the time when God separates the tares from the wheat.

The Hebrew word בְּרֵאשִׁית (re'shiyth), pronounced as ray-sheeth', means beginning, chiefest, firstfruits, part, time, principal thing in English. What is the purpose of it being the beginning or the principal thing? It means we activate it. God put wisdom at the start or beginning for us to activate it by God telling us to fear (yare-revere) Him. Remember commandment number 1?

How many of us Christians have already started searching for wisdom? Or let's put it this way: how many of us are having the fear of the Lord? Is there a right time to fear the Lord? Maybe we are on the wrong side of fear, thinking it is an onset.

Knowledge of the holy understanding.

Familiarity with the knowledge of holy understanding appears unattainable or out of sync with reality. But in sensibility, immediately after we fear the Lord, wisdom kicks in, and the spiritual knowledge, in this sense, with full awareness of what one is doing, heavenly understanding, in its complete sense meaning, distinguishing (to separate mentally from spirituality) with no doubt God's instructions and more. When fear of God arises, wisdom becomes an unending source of witting guidance.

Finally

By fearing God, we can receive divine wisdom and distinguish it from ordinary wisdom. God promised it's always there, and it is just a grab away (Ephesians 3:19-20). Time is now of the essence. The countdown has begun, and we must get our acts together or consume the moment, having difficulties confirming God's will for us.

God wants us to have divine knowledge to resist evil and dodge sinning, which separates us from Him. The wisdom He provides removes doubt, secures thoroughly appropriate decisions, and affirms a holy life.

Let us pray

We pray to you, Heavenly Father, that godly fear reigns in us. We ask that you help us live as your Son, our Lord, and Savior Jesus, did while here on earth. Let your Holy Spirit empower us as we face daily spiritual challenges. We claim this power and victory in the mighty name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.