A Holy Fear

"But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people...'" (Luke 2:10).

For the third week in a row, Micah has been admitted at Duke. The past two times came as a result of high fevers (104.7 and 105 respectively). This present time of admittance had more serious circumstances surrounding it. The fevers returned, though not as high, just one day after being released from the hospital. Since he was also cutting three top teeth, we believed this could be the cause (as well as the doctor). However, the fevers never subsided. Instead, Micah grew progressively worse. He began to trickle off in eating, became more and more lethargic and then began to show signs of dehydration.

Monday he was admitted. After spending a few hours at the hospital, the doctor rounded and observed Micah's rapid breathing. With all the symptoms and signs, he was transferred to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (a place we have not been since transplant). He received several bags of fluid and also a blood transfusion. While he has improved some, he still continues to be tired and showing other obvious signs of not feeling well. He simply isn't himself. Currently the doctors are seeking answers. We're not sure if it is viral, bacteria or something else completely foreign to our RADAR.

But in the midst of all this, I thought about how we often fear what we shouldn't and don't fear what we should. Just to shoot straight, I was first frustrated. Taking a third trip to the hospital in three weeks is not my idea of fun or pleasant. Yet my Heavenly Father gently but convincingly reminded me that this is far from where we've been. Oh how quick we lose sight of where God has brought us from and what He has accomplished in our lives! Then after the frustration was gone, the fear set came. Oh how quickly we lose sight of the marvelous power the Lord possesses and the awesome works He has performed.

Isn't that human nature? We fear the future, finances and foes. We fear job losses, rebellious children and unexpected tragedies. We fear knives in our back and slanderous words spoken about us to others. Yet so often we fear these things, which may or may not ever come to pass, all the while failing to have a righteous and holy fear of what is truly worth fearing.

When the angel came to announce the birth of Jesus to lowly shepherds who were watching their flocks in the field, the Bible tells us that the glory of the Lord was shining all around them. God's glory can be defined as His presence in light. His glory is illuminating and brilliant. The sun looks like a lump of coal next to the glory of God. As the shepherds found themselves in the midst of this spectacular appearing, the Scriptures tell us that they were "terribly frightened." They were afraid. But you won't read of a rebuke issued to these shepherds. You won't hear God raking them over for their weak and knocking knees. And the reason is because God delighted in their fear.

Confronted with the brilliance and magnificence of God, a fear consumed them. This fear may have partly resulted from an uncertainty of what would happen to them--a fear of death perhaps. Perhaps some of the fear could be explained because these shepherds had been enjoying a relatively quiet night when "BAM" an angel appears in the dark night and bright light almost blinds them. I believe, however, the greatest reason for their fright and fear was the holiness of God. As they saw the glory of God, His holiness and purity confronted their sinfulness and unclean lives. A holy fear consumed them.

The Bible reminds us that fearing the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Tragically, we think too often of this type of fear in human terms. We define the "fear of the Lord" as we would define the "fear of a mugger" or "fear of a robber." These are all human emotions in the face of a sinful act. Yet the fear of the Lord is a righteous fear of the One who is pure and without sin. In light of who He is, we should revere and respect Him. But to stop there stops short. We will never hear His word, heed His word or honor Him with our lives when we have no fear of Him. For when there is no fear, we go our own way, doing our own thing and see no need to do otherwise.

Why do we sin so much and so often? Because we have forgotten the holiness and awesomeness of God which evokes the kind of fear we should have for the Lord. The shepherds got a refresher course in the majesty and greatness of God. In the presence of His glory, they bowed and they were fearfully silent. You won't find a word spoken by one shepherd while the angels were present. Stunned and silent, they stood in the presence of God's glory gripped in fear.

Maybe we'd live more God-honoring lives if we retained a healthy and holy fear of the Lord half as often as we fear other things in our lives which rarely occur anyway. The Lord is in control, after all, so why should I live fearing those things which haven't happened yet anyway? Rather, I want to fear the Lord that I might have knowledge and wisdom and be taught in His ways.