The Fear of the Lord

Prov. 9:10

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight."

Who doesn't want to be wise and insightful? I know that I do. So here it says the answer is not in life experience, seminars, or self-help books, but the answer is in fearing the Lord. What exactly does that mean? The second half of the verse says that knowledge of the Holy One is essential. It doesn't say knowledge about the Holy One but knowledge of the Holy One. That leads me to believe that is is a personal, experiential knowledge resulting from a deep love and delight in God. In 8:13 it says  "The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate." This verse further enhances the meaning by showing the clear connectionof evil, pride, and arrogance to the fear of the Lord. In fact, this relationship has gone beyond non-existent to outright hatred. Evil, pride, and arrogance are abhorrent to God and can not be in His presence. Since for me to fear the Lord means that I have intimate knowledge of Him, who He is and what He values, then I can not allow evil, pride, and arrogance in my life. As I read this and think about this, I realize the great need for grace and mercy because I certainly can't say that evil, pride,and arrogance are never in my life. Thank God for the blood of Jesus that has cleansed and covered me! Thank God for the gospel of grace that allows me to understand and grow into fearing the Lord!

Father,

Continue teaching me what it means to fear You, to have Your wisdom, and Your insight. Make my mind and my heart united with Yours. Grant me repentance when I fall into the slime of evil, pride, and arrogance.

In Jesus name,

Amen