“God will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure”
A Sure Foundation and A Rich Store
Here are some interesting facts: the Bible uses the phrase “Do not be afraid” 78 times and “Fear not” is used 170 times. Yet, the Bible also says, “fear the Lord” 205 times. Now, if we aren’t supposed to be afraid, why would we fear the Lord?
In this verse from the prophet Isaiah, we are told that God is our foundation, and that the fear of the Lord is the key to salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. Wow! So, if we fear God, we will always have a foundation to stand on and a key to the treasure. But, what does “fear God” really mean? Is God scary? Should we be afraid of God?
Fearing God is a type of respect. We fear God in the same way that we fear a raging fire, high winds, or very deep water. For example, we enjoy sitting by a campfire, but we understand its power. We are thankful for a gentle wind, yet we know that hurricanes or tornados have tremendous power. We like to dive into deep water, but we learn to swim because we respect the power of the water and we don’t want to drown.
In the same way, we fear God because we respect the power of God. That type of fear gives us a sure foundation for our life on earth. It unlocks the door to a rich storehouse of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. Now, that’s a treasure!
Carol Wimmer