I recently learned that one cubic foot of sand could hold 1.8 billiongrains of sand. In Psalm 139:17 David revealed God’s heart for us saying, “How precious are Your thoughts to me O God! How vast isthe sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand.” Consideringall the deserts and oceans, God has indicated that His thoughts ofus are both precious and endless.

If God’s thoughts of us are precious, then why is the “fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom” (Psa 111:10)? How is the “fear of the Lord anybody’s treasure” (Isa 33:6)? The paradoxical nature of these verses complicates further when we read in Exodus 20:20, “Do not be afraid, for God has come in order to test you, in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin.” So, how am I to fear God and not be afraid?

God led Israel out of the slavery of Egypt to be close to Israel. Likewise, God hasliberated Christians from the slavery of sin in this world so He could be close to us, and that we would now touch lightly the things of this world. In James 4:8 James declares, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” So, when we cleanse our hands from engaging in sin, and purify our thought-life, God is willing to draw near to us. Our sinful habits block the closeness of God that we so desire. Closeness to God depends on us.

In light of Exodus 20:20, I should never be afraid to draw near to God. Rather, I should be afraid to create distance between myself and God by practicing sinful habits. Sin separates, and the fear of the Lord would be a fear of living apart from Him. May it never be.

Isaiah 59:2, Jude 1:21
Pastor Huck