What is the Difference Between Fear and Fear of the Lord?

That is the kind of question that should probably lead into a PHD Dissertation. Lucky for all of us I hope to keep this much simpler.

Let's start with Fear. I think all of us, after the past two years, can define fear in some pretty harsh terms. (Webster doesn't get to be included in this discussion.) On the one hand, I have been the person who would say; "If it's my time to go then so be it." Like many others, that elimination of mindless fear, has allowed me to support others who were not in the same place. It has been a difficult journey pulling friends and loved ones back from that razor sharp edge of hurt caused by fear and loss.

Then there is the other side of that coin, where you wonder how you will ever feel safe? Your safety concerns don't even have to be regarding your health. For me, some days I just want to wake up knowing there won't be a new rule, decision, behavior, or who knows what, that I need to be in compliance with. I just want to walk out my door knowing I did it right that day.

The polar opposite of fear is HOPE. I for one spent the past two years thinking that 'it would all go back to normal soon.' As the days roll by, I find myself looking at travel plans by first looking at the TSA requirements, then the COVID restrictions for the flight, the city, the hotel and the venues I will be going to. The newest slap in the face was finding out that restaurants in some towns, are requiring presentation of your vaccination card to receive service. So, the simple little premise I had based my hope on, that things would go back to normal, is receiving a sledgehammer blow. I can see all the little shards of my support system laying at my feet. Some days I get out the superglue and try to put them back together, but I am learning to let that go as well.

And that leads us to Fear of the Lord. I don't know about you, but I have always held the idea of a loving God in my mind. Jesus reflected that out to us when he was here, he used it to teach us how to be kind and loving to one another, and how to find hope when there didn't seem to be any (see the beatitudes in every Gospel).

Proverbs 14:27 The Fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death.

Looking through others thoughts on 'Fear of the Lord', there are a multitude of descriptors. My best summation of those are: Seeing God as our awesome, powerful, loving, creator of all, and having right worship of his sovereignty. More than that, is an implied relationship, where not only do you worship God with all your heart mind and soul, but you recognize you can do nothing without him.

To put that into perspective... In my walk, why did I have to define what 'my' hope looks like? (I emphasize MY here because that is the crux of where I have gone wrong.) What I should have done was turn to God and say, "Father Almighty, I don't get it, but I know you do. Here is my fear, use it and help me lean into you for my hope. Don't let me base my definition of hope on what the world says is the source and summit of happiness, but let Your hope well up inside me and block out the worlds false voice." AMEN!

So how does this relate to the Magi? At this point in the story there are some young men trying to help a movement get started to Greet the King of Light, and there is major opposition. Just like all of us, they have been given directions regarding a great plan for the future, and a group of people who have their own agenda will do anything to stop it. In the case of these young men, they have surrounded themselves with like-minded people to create a support system while they tackle the seemingly impossible task to start a holy journey.

On the Feast day of the Baptism of our Lord, may you find your hope, and rediscover the peace of God longing to fill you to put His plan in place.