Tag: fear

Clean Now to Enter

Did you know of the myth that the high priest would tie a rope around his ankle before entering the Holy of Holies. The myth is that entering is/was so dangerous that if the high priest were to be struck down by God, no one would be able to enter to remove the body. The rope would be used to pull the body out and a new high priest would be selected. Again, this is a myth, but a pretty strong one and fearful for sure.

Fast forward to today. The curtain to the Holy of Holies was torn and now we are all able to enter and communicate directly with God. Think about that, what was once considered so dangerous that an escape plan was mythically created has now been opened to all and fear of death is no longer there. Oh yes, we should still fear God. But our fear should be of His awesome power and glory and not that we cannot speak with Him.

“19Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” – Hebrews 10:19-22 (ESV)

The curtain was torn at His death and we now have full access to the LORD. You see, we have been cleaned thanks to the shed blood of Jesus on the cross. He died so we do not have to and His blood was sprinkled on us to wash away the sin in our lives so that we do not need the rope around our ankle for an escape plan. We have been welcomed in to the place where we can be with God all on our own. We have been cleaned up so that we can enter.

“23Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” – Hebrews 10:23 (ESV)

The LORD is faithful and true. He does not waver in anything. We can and should have full confidence in Him that we can enter knowing that we have been cleaned. We may be sinners, but those sins have been washed away so that we can enter and commune with the LORD. He accepts us as we are and is faithful in His love for us now and forever.

What is your view of your cleanliness? Are you still tying a rope around your ankle for and escape plan? What if you were to realize that you have been cleaned to enter and commune with the LORD and that He accepts you and is faithful from now to forever?

Fear the LORD, Don’t Fear Him

I know, that seems a bit of a confusing title to my thoughts this morning. The definition from Merriam-Webster may help clearing it up a bit.

Fear: 1 a: an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger b (1): an instance of this emotion (2): a state marked by this emotion 2: anxious concern 3: profound reverence and awe especially toward God 4: reason for alarm – Merriam-Webster Online

I have to remember that there is fear and there is fear. I have to fear the LORD or have “profound reverence and awe” for Him. I have to recognize Him for who He is and know that He is greater than I and any other. I am in His world and am here to do His Will and not my own.

I also do not need to fear or have “alarm” of His reason for being here. He is great, yet there is no reason for me to worry that He will harm me. God loves me and would certainly do nothing to harm me.

“20Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.’” – Exodus 20:20 (ESV)

God had just spoken to the people in a thundering voice and given them the Ten Commandments. The people were not able to see Him and only heard the thundering voice and witnessed the ominous clouds as He spoke. This would certainly instill anxiousness and alarm for me as it did for them. Yet what does Moses tell them but to “not fear” but have “fear of him”.

We have to separate the fear. There is time for reverence and time for alarm. It is up to us to make that distinction. With God, there is no need to have alarm, and we should always have reverence. So I say again as in the title of my thoughts, “fear the LORD, don’t fear Him”.

What is your thoughts on the LORD? Are you running around alarmed that your life is somehow in danger? What if you were to have reverence for Him and know that your life is just getting started with the LORD by your side?