By: Elizabeth Haarberg

Fear and Love

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking this SoundCloud link.

Our brains are powerful and have the ability to not only solve but create new problems for us. One of those problems is anxiety about the future and fear of the unknown. Fear is a useful tool when we need to be aware of danger around us but can be a nuisance when fear is not needed. The caveat is we are told not to fear because we have God, even when we are staring danger in the face.

“I will fear no evil.”
Psalm 23:4 ESV

Fear has no place in the heavenly places, including in us, except when God is involved in the conversation.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Proverbs 1:7 ESV

“The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.”
Proverbs 19:23 ESV

Fear is useful but only when applied in the area of fear of the Lord. So what does the fear of the Lord look like? I imagine that it looks like at any point that God could destroy us all but by grace and mercy that only God gives, we exist. The creator of the universe has the ability to do whatever, whenever. If fear was the only component in the relationship with God, that isn’t much of a relationship. Love also is a part of God.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 ESV

Love and fear are two components of God’s relationship with us that are key in connection and perseverance for longevity in a Christian’s journey. Move toward God through prayer, reading the Bible, conversation, and worship to connect at a deeper level with the Trinity and increase both fear and love.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado