Living in the Spirit
October 3, 2017
Scripture Reading: Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraid and trembled and stood at a distance, and said to Moses, ‘You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die.’ Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin.’ –Exodus 20:18-20
I don’t think about being afraid of God much and do not think many Christians do. I cannot tell you when I have heard it mentioned in a sermon or study group. Perhaps we have lost something important. I can imagine the God of Justice being very fearful as God sees some of God’s children oppressing others. The absence of love in any circumstance causes fear.
Fear is a God-given emotion provided to keep us safe from harm. Hearing the rattle of a snake alerts one to potential danger, and causes one to take preventive action. The evening news alerted my community yesterday to the rise in mosquitoes carrying West Nile Disease and urged all citizens to avoid the risk.
We who live in privilege have lost some of our sense of fear. We trust locks and cameras, guns and alarms, to protect us. Sometimes they do not work. According to the Hebrew prophets, the people of Israel too lost their sense of fear. They put their trust in shallow worship and ill-gotten gain gradually over time losing their connectedness with God. That did not work either as they were overthrown and taken into captivity.
The fear of God protects us from the evil that would harm us. When we are in right relationship with God, we can sense spiritual danger when it accost us and turn around and return to God’s way of being.
Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we are so caught up in the world around us we fail to respond to your caution of danger ahead. Amen.