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Fearing God vs. FEARING God

In the Bible, it says to "fear God", meaning to honor Him and make sure He gets the credit He deserves. I don't think that He ever meant us to cower or hide or run from Him. I have been pondering this, because recently I've been trying to avoid Him, and it definitely doesn't help the state of my life. I run from Him because He sees me too clearly, too well, in all of my humanness. I feel so raw in His presence, so I avoid it.
I've gotten some counsel of a good book to read and I know that I should run to Him especially when I am scared. But knowing and actually doing are so different. I suppose, like everything, it's a process.

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Permalink Reply by John Gnotek on December 16, 2008 at 3:17pm: Where do you run to? I've looked for cover at times as well. Never quite found any.

"He sees me too clearly..."
Wouldn't it be interesting to see yourself as God does see you? I think we might all be surprised compared to how we think God sees us. I look back [detached] to when I was 15-17 sometimes and almost weep, looking at a kid lost and without guidance in this world with evil temptation all around and I do see that it was God that was there when no one else was just like in that anonymous poem Footprints. God was my father in this way.

So I'm glad I guess that I was never successful in hiding.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Camila Hervey on December 17, 2008 at 7:52pm: Where do I run to? I don't know....I guess I don't really find cover either. It sucks, but at least it pushes me back to Him.

I would like to see myself in the light of His grace. I haven't really managed it yet.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by John Gnotek on December 17, 2008 at 8:37pm: >>>I would like to see myself in the light of His grace. I haven't really managed it yet.<<<<br />
Funny thing, sometimes it's just a matter of opening your eyes (or heart).; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Camila Hervey on December 17, 2008 at 10:17pm: Easier said than done, with my running-away tendencies. I'm not trying to throw what you said back at you or anything...it's just complicated...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by mono on December 16, 2008 at 8:03pm: Camilla, just another thought to ponder on. I think fearing God is also meant in the sense to actually fearing him. I am scared and humiliated by the thought that He is GOODNESS and PERFECTION.

Exodus 33:20-23 comes to my mind where Moses wants to see God in his glory:
And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live."

21 Then the LORD said, "There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen."

So God is actually hiding Moses for his security because he may not stand the Goodness and Glory. I am sure Moses felt raw at that time.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Camila Hervey on December 17, 2008 at 7:55pm: hmm....a good kind of raw, perhaps? Another something to think about.

I think that may be right....but I would like to relate to him in a less arms-length sort of way. Does that make sense?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Michael Alexander McManus on December 18, 2008 at 1:10am: funny, i had a debate with my dad recently about this. because ive never felt any need to be afraid of god. (except for my own false constructions of god, as a mean ruler waiting to hate and damn people) good thoughts; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Karla Elisa on January 3, 2009 at 10:22pm: Seems to me God says the only thing worthy of fear is God himself.

Fearing someone or something more than God, trumps God's importance and He's jealous and doesn't dig that. It's sort of like you're placing that emotion above your faith in Him, which really is the point since the manifestation is separation from God.

This happens to me alot with my anger. I'm not scared near as much as I'm pissed off. The Israeli invasion into Gaza has only poured fired on this. I keep asking myself if I were living in Gaza right now, would my faith be stronger than my fear? Sadly, I doubt it.; ▶ Reply to This

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