Here in Dallas, our freeways “loop” around downtown, so drivers have access to the downtown area if they need it. They can also bypass downtown if they don’t want to be bothered.
Too many people treat God like this. When they need Him, they want to have direct access, but when they don’t want to be bothered, they stay far away.
When you walk in the fear of the Lord, you don’t treat God as a means to an end. You don’t relate to Him on the basis of what He can do for you. That would be using Him.
When you love, respect and revere someone, it’s just the opposite. There’s no limit to your generosity and what you’re willing to give. You’ll give your time, your attention and your treasure.
Do you know that even our giving demonstrates our fear of the Lord? If we’re in awe of God, we won’t struggle to give our finances as an act of worship. We trust that God will provide for us. But when we fear our circumstances, when we fear not having enough, when we fear not being able to have a good time, we struggle to obey God.
I’ve never met anyone walking in a genuine fear (respect) of the Lord who was not blessed.
That doesn’t mean they didn’t face challenges. It means that they had the wisdom of God to make good choices. Because of their good choices, they were blessed. Their families were blessed, and their communities were blessed.
Make the good choice today to grow in the fear of the Lord. Proverbs tells us that it’s the beginning of knowledge and wisdom.
