The fear of the Lord

Junior and I recently went on a cruise! Fun... right!!! We celebrated 3 years of marriage this past July and we haven't gone anywhere when we travel except to see family in Haiti and Kansas City , so we thought it was about time! We don't have kids and financially it is much more affordable, the joy and benefits of costal living.  Plus, Junior has wanted to go on a cruise since I have known him, so it was fun for him to cross that off his bucket list.

However, I have always felt that it wouldn't be my favorite adventure to be restricted to a boat with things that consist of American entertainment (pools, bars, water parks, casinos, drinking, comedy acts, etc). When I travel I like to explore the place I am visiting, enjoying the freedom to roam, so my assumption was right. Although we had time to explore the Bahamas, not the kind of time I would prefer. With that said though, I love trying new things, so now I know what it's like to have experienced a cruise, plus Junior and I made plenty of fun memories in the process.

One of my favorite things was seeing the sunrise and sunsets out in the middle of the deep blue sea. It really leaves you speechless in its vast appearance. Truly amazing! I feel like the Lord blessed me with several revelations on this trip, but I will spare you all the details and share one that I have been thinking on today...

It is the reality of just how BIG our God is!!! I have experienced a lot of God's power in my life. It amazes me to think about it, from tornado stories to being in the center of a massive earthquake, I have learned that I am tiny and God's power is infinite. I do have the fear of the Lord. In fact, I often call myself a wimp because I fear when the weather is exhibiting signs of tornadoes, floods and the like.


However, This trip it hit me hard in a moment when Junior and a few friends were playing in some seriously rough waves on the beautiful Bahamas shore.  I braved it and went in once, but didn't last long. I came out and verbally processed why I'm a wimp for the first time. I have seen the power of God and His creation up close and personal and I don't want to test it, for I am tiny and He is BIG!

Yet since being home a friend asked me, is it the fear of the Lord or the fear of death? It really has me wondering. In Proverbs 7:1 it states, "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." If the fear of the Lord brings knowledge than it seems to me that it would be a place of revelation in knowing who God is. When we know who God is, that reality should call us to worship. In worship we should find peace and in peace we should have no fear. So what does it really mean to fear the Lord?

Perhaps, the fear of the Lord is more about full abandonment and trusting than anything. If He is who He says He is than no matter the circumstances, His plans for you are best plans possible. Whenever death comes is it not the Father's will? When our lives are in a state of constant worship we will be free from all fear. Do not fear is said more in God's word than anything else, but we are called to fear the Lord. What does this look like to you? I am contemplating the fact that separation from Him should be the greatest fear of all, in all His holiness, grace, love, and infinite beauty should we not long to be with Him more than to have life on this earth.

I have a tattoo on my wrist, it is the Hebrew word, HESED. This word has many meanings, but recently a friend and I were talking about it and he shared a sentence he had heard about one of the many meanings. This one sentence profoundly spoke to me as I often try to explain hesed when people ask, but it isn't near as elegant as the sentence said by John Oswalt. "The love of a superior for an inferior, especially when that love is undeserved." To me this sums up the Fear of the Lord, should we not be in awe of this Kind of love, to loose this would be much greater than loosing one's life. I pray that I am learning more of what it means to fear the Lord, in His infinite power, grace and love.


be blessed,
Natasha Jovin