Fearing God-The Invitation

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge"

Proverbs 1:7

In my last post I wrote about my need to grow in the area of fearing the Lord. This actually hit me square in the face when a friend issued an invitation to me.

This part of knowing God-the fearing part- is really hard for me to connect to.

I follow God because of His love for me, His closeness and intimacy. I was won to Him because through scripture, my InterVarsity staff, and some crisis moments, He convinced me that He knew me, the real me. That He saw through all the masks I had put up, all the "good deeds" that others saw. He saw straight into the REAL LEE. The junked up, gross, ugly Lee and He loved her. He saw beauty. He saw glory. He saw what I could be in Him.

And I was won. I was forgiven and changed. Devoted to the God who loves me so completely, even though He knows all there is to know about me.

Back to fearing the LORD. 

Recently I hit into this problem area of fearing God. I was studying scripture with other IV staff and the passage was highlighting some of God's more severe qualities. I was skimming, annoyed waiting for the questions to swing back to grace and love. This posture of mine troubled me, so I asked a friend to talk about it. I told him about my lack of fearing the Lord. My annoyance with the topic when I came across it in scripture. And my honest distress that this is who I was.

This was his response:

"You know Lee, God won you by knowing you completely and still loving you perfectly. I think it is time for you to return the favor." 

And I agree with Him. It is time for me to return this gracious favor.

Time to know God better.