March 18, 2022 – “Fear God”    

“If you sell or buy property from one of your countrymen, don’t cheat him. Calculate the purchase price on the basis of the number of years since the Jubilee. He is obliged to set the sale price on the basis of the number of harvests remaining until the next Jubilee. The more years left, the more money; you can raise the price. But the fewer years left, the less money; decrease the price. What you are buying and selling in fact is the number of crops you’re going to harvest. Don’t cheat each other. Fear your God. I am God, your God.” Leviticus 25:14-17

“And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God. And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid.” Mark 10:26-27

“Fear God”   In the Leviticus text (25:36), we are told to “fear God”.  In the text from Mark, in chapter 10 verse 32, the text says, “and those who followed were afraid.”  In both texts the writer speaks about the fear of G-d.  In his Small Catechism, Martin Luther begins each explanation of each petition of the Ten Commandments with words similar to this, “We are to fear and love the Lord…”  What do you think it means to fear the Lord?  Can we fear and love the Lord at the same time?  Is it good to fear the Lord?

The use of the word “fear” is understood, in our Lutheran faith, as to hold G-d in great respect. You notice in my devotions that I write the word “G-d” without the “O”. Many have asked me why I do this. It is one way that I can daily remind myself of the respect that we are to give not only to G-d, but to the name of G-d. Not all of us use the same practices, the same devotional techniques, or the same prayers when we talk to G-d. I say that because I do not believe everyone needs to do what I do. We each need to find our own personal ways that we show respect to G-d, to the name of G-d, and to our relationship with G-d.

We are to fear and love G-d, and so we find the balance to do both within an overall aspect of love.

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus, our love for you should have no boundaries – just as our love for all people should do the same. Help me to learn not to live in fear, but to live in love. Amen.

Pastor Dave