We continue our reflection on fearing God, with a slightly different perspective. Consider Today’s Holy Nougat.
Psalms 34:9 NIV
[9] Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing.
Fear With Benefits
I confess, the concept of ‘Friends with Benefits’ sounds intriguing. Before I fully grasped what it alludes to, it didn’t make sense, because all friendships offer benefits. There is a mutuality in friendship that makes friends friends. But then, as the movie and the phrase suggest, there are also “agreed benefits”.
Fear with benefits is completely different. Firstly, we are relating to Creator God, not other humans. As such, we are not even operating in a similar form… God is Spirit, our spirit-beings exist in human bodies. And our understanding of God doesn’t include that kind of intimacy.
Point to Ponder
If we are being prepared as the bride for The Bridegroom, what will we do in the marriage?
Digging Deeper
If, as we agreed in our reflection on the Nougat yesterday, fear is about reverence; then David argues that worshipping God guarantees that our needs are met. Many would say that it sounds too good to be true. I propose that they’re wrong. If it’s all our wants, or if it’s our needs on our terms that we’re referring to… well, God doesn’t operate like that. But if we’re speaking of God’s terms, that’s different. The Bible is replete with assurances of God’s extra provision and grace for those who are consecrated and set apart to worship God.
You might say ‘consecrated’ and ‘set apart’ are the same; they’re closely related. Consecration is the outward manifestation of something made holy… anointing, baptism, ordination, or even elevation and enthronement. I’m expanding the notion to suggest that what we see on Earth, has heavenly origins. God consecrates us, setting us apart from ordinary routine lives to be called God’s own. Our acceptance of God’s selection takes our relationship with God to a different level.
For, in ceding control to God, we tell God, ourselves and others that it is God Who determines what our needs are, and when and how to address them. Zechariah and Elizabeth’s story teaches us that God’s timing for meeting our needs doesn’t always match ours. (See Luke 1:13, when Gabriel advises Zechariah that God answered his prayer. The time lapse was so great, that Zechariah had trouble believing God’s messenger).
The question we might ask ourselves therefore, is whether God is meeting other more critical needs in/for us, and how do we respond to ‘broken’ dreams. I believe that it ought not change our reverently worshipping God. That’s when we take that leaf out of King David’s book – we bless the Lord always.
Understanding God as deliverer, protector and Saviour means that we are confident that our fear carries special benefits. Let the praises ring.
Praise Break
Let’s magnify our God because of the rough patches that remind us that God is our protector and refuge.
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May all we seek be found in Christ
