By: Kim Killebrew
I can’t believe it’s 2012. It’s strange that we’ve made it well past the turn of a century, even a millenium. I honestly remember the prediction that the world was going to end in 1988, when all I cared about was graduating from the eighth grade. No one knows what this year will look like, but there is one thing I do know. I will continue to be surprised by the slow and careful revelation of God’s plan for us. There will be joy and struggle mixed with periods of waiting. There will be good news, bad news, accomplishments, and failures. We will make plans and goals that come to fruition. We will make plans that will be thwarted by new circumstances.
The other day I picked up the book, Holding Onto Hope by Nancy Guthrie. I was deeply moved as she told bits of her story. She is all too painfully familiar with the unexpected. She has lost not only one, but two children to a metabolic disorder called Zellweger Syndrome.
I loved what she had to say about the fear of God:
“What does it mean to fear God? It certainly goes beyond simply being afraid of God. It is a profound sense of reverential awe toward God. But really it is even more than that. The fear of God is better described than defined. It is displayed in a person’s character and conduct. A person who recognizes God’s authority over every area of his life. He has a desire to obey God’s clear commands in Scripture. He recognizes his complete dependence upon God for everything he has and everything he is. He approaches every aspect of life with an aim to glorify God. And when life deals him a blow, his fear of God is revealed more completely.”
Although I don’t make a habit of making resolutions for the new year, I do pray that my fear of the Lord will be increased and sharpened in the days ahead. May life’s blows reveal a humble servant who serves and fears a great and mighty God.
