Thought for 22 November

Apologies folks.  It was brought to my notice this morning that the thought for Friday of last week hadn't been circulated.  My fault so I need to wheel out the 'auld age' excuse once again and probably not for the last time!!!

Proverbs 9:10-12

Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  Knowledge of the Holy One results in understanding. 

Wisdom will multiply your days and add years to your life.  If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit.  If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer. 

Our reading for today tells us that ‘Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom’.  One definition of fear is: ‘an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain or a threat.’  I know folks that have a fear of flying, I know of someone who has a fear of snakes to the extent that if there is a programme about snakes on the tv, they will leave the room.  I know someone else that if they spot a spider in a room, they will leave the room and not re-enter until the offending insect has been removed (dead or alive).  I used to have a real fear of dogs years ago when it was common for stray dogs to be roaming the streets.  Since that time, I have owned four dogs so I guess that proves it is possible to overcome certain types of fear.  In fact there are so many identified fears among people these days that we even have special names for them:-  Cynophobia – fear of dogs, Ophidiophobia – fear of snakes, Aerophobia – fear of flying and Arachnophobia – fear of spiders.

Real fears I haven’t mentioned are fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of public speaking, fear of injections and this list could go on for some time.  We will all have experienced fear in some form or another and even though we don’t share a particular fear with someone we know, we should be tolerant and recognise that just because we don’t share a particular fear with them, we should be patient and respect that the fear they have is real. Is personal to them and shouldn’t be mocked.

No one can be truly wise unless he fears the Lord. The term "fear of the Lord," occurs more than a dozen times in the book of Proverbs. This is not "just" respect, and it does not imply terror or panic. The idea is one of humility, deep reverence, and submission. The basis for fearing God in this way is belief that He is holy and hates and punishes sin. Those who properly understand God's role have a clear view of reality, leading to insight and better outcomes.  Solomon teaches us that fear is a prerequisite for wisdom. Without a humble, sincere reverence for who God is, a person will be unable to grasp what the bible teaches.

There are ways of dealing with each of the human fears detailed above.  There are ways of overcoming them or at least, ways of coping and making these fears easier to live with.  I mentioned that I had a fear of dogs but have now overcome that fear to a degree by having owned four dogs.  This doesn’t mean I would approach any dog without caution.  Maybe the fear is still within me, but I have just learned a better way of managing it.

Solomon says in this book of Proverbs that fear of the Lord is not optional, it is essential and without that righteous fear of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, knowledge, understanding and faith cannot follow.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, give us understanding hearts, a fear of your great and glorious majesty, and an increasing knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, for the more we know him and the power of his resurrection, and the more we understand and appreciate his suffering and pain, the more we will understand your eternal nature and your capabilities.  May all praise and glory be yours. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen

(With thanks to knowing-jesus.com) 9:10-12

Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  Knowledge of the Holy One results in understanding.  Wisdom will multiply your days and add years to your life.  If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit.  If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer. 

Our reading for today tells us that ‘Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom’.  One definition of fear is: ‘an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain or a threat.’  I know folks that have a fear of flying, I know of someone who has a fear of snakes to the extent that if there is a programme about snakes on the tv, they will leave the room.  I know someone else that if they spot a spider in a room, they will leave the room and not re-enter until the offending insect has been removed (dead or alive).  I used to have a real fear of dogs years ago when it was common for stray dogs to be roaming the streets.  Since that time, I have owned four dogs so I guess that proves it is possible to overcome certain types of fear.  In fact there are so many identified fears among people these days that we even have special names for them:-  Cynophobia – fear of dogs, Ophidiophobia – fear of snakes, Aerophobia – fear of flying and Arachnophobia – fear of spiders.

Real fears I haven’t mentioned are fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of public speaking, fear of injections and this list could go on for some time.  We will all have experienced fear in some form or another and even though we don’t share a particular fear with someone we know, we should be tolerant and recognise that just because we don’t share a particular fear with them, we should be patient and respect that the fear they have is real. Is personal to them and shouldn’t be mocked.

No one can be truly wise unless he fears the Lord. The term "fear of the Lord," occurs more than a dozen times in the book of Proverbs. This is not "just" respect, and it does not imply terror or panic. The idea is one of humility, deep reverence, and submission. The basis for fearing God in this way is belief that He is holy and hates and punishes sin. Those who properly understand God's role have a clear view of reality, leading to insight and better outcomes.  Solomon teaches us that fear is a prerequisite for wisdom. Without a humble, sincere reverence for who God is, a person will be unable to grasp what the bible teaches.

There are ways of dealing with each of the human fears detailed above.  There are ways of overcoming them or at least, ways of coping and making these fears easier to live with.  I mentioned that I had a fear of dogs but have now overcome that fear to a degree by having owned four dogs.  This doesn’t mean I would approach any dog without caution.  Maybe the fear is still within me, but I have just learned a better way of managing it.

Solomon says in this book of Proverbs that fear of the Lord is not optional, it is essential and without that righteous fear of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, knowledge, understanding and faith cannot follow.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, give us understanding hearts, a fear of your great and glorious majesty, and an increasing knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, for the more we know him and the power of his resurrection, and the more we understand and appreciate his suffering and pain, the more we will understand your eternal nature and your capabilities.  May all praise and glory be yours. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen

(With thanks to knowing-jesus.com)