Nervously Twitching

Read: Proverbs 14

"In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and his children will have refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may avoid the snares of death." Proverbs 14:26-27

Examine:

Fear stands for true godliness. It is a short way of expressing real faith, hope, love, and holiness of living. There are four traits that will always be visible in the life of one who fears the LORD:

1. He has a child-like awe of God which arises out of admiration.

2. He strives to be in respectful submission and yielded to God.

3. He fully understands the futility of his wisdom and greatness of God's.

4. He dreads everything which might cause God displeasure.

Apply:

Strong confidence and a fountain of life sound good to me about right now. At the end of the day, these are the two primal needs in my life. I want to feel confidently secure and experience satisfaction. Work, relationships, hobbies, and faith are all in some way tangible pursuits of confidence and fulfillment. It is easy to take a verse like this and look only at the fruit of it (confidence and life) and lose sight of the cause of it (fear of the LORD). The primary pursuit of my life should be a deeper level of awe, submission, understanding, and purity in my relationship with God.

Pray:

Um, I really don't know what to say. I am staring at those four things listed above and I am starting to nervously twitch in my seat a little bit as I assess the attitude of my heart towards You. I can't honestly say those traits are visible and tangible characteristics of my life. I confess that to You this morning.

I do not fear You as I should and I can see the results of that in my life. My confidence is easily shaken and my fuel for life is often not enough for the day. I have often prayed to You regarding the things that rattle my cage and take my energy but I have seldom pleaded with You to increase my fear of You. That is to my shame and a testimony to Your great grace.

Take my heart and realign it today. Deepen my fear of You in a way that clearly establishes Your presence in my heart, soul, and mind. Push me deeper into my desire to be in joyful submission to You and help me find a connection with You that re-establishes my awe, wonder, and respect for You. I pray that You be a tangible force of life change inside of me today.