"Because they do not change; therefore they do not fear God." Psalm 55:19

"Because they do not change; therefore they do not fear God." Psalm 55:19

In August 2002, riding in our motor home on our way to Acadia National Park in Maine, I underlined this verse. I can tell because the underlines are squiggly not straight from trying to write in a moving vehicle. Something about it impacted me almost 4 years ago, but sadly it was soon forgotten.
Recently, we have been reevaluating our ministry, as we often do to discern how to maximize the effectiveness of the resources that God has entrusted to our care. This has been an ongoing conversation amongst leadership. As I was reading through Psalms once again I was stopped short by this verse. We are concerned for the men and women who claim they want to change but exhibit little evidence that they mean it. It raises the question regarding their understanding and exercise of the fear of God. But honestly that is not what impacted me the most about the verse.
As I was giving consideration to my own life, my own lack of growth, my own lack of change in certain areas and it struck me that perhaps the lack of change in my life is also evidence that I do not have a passionate fear of God.
During a recent study of Jerry Bridges book The Joy of Fearing God, I learned that fearing God is like a multi-faceted diamond. It looks slightly different from different angles but all of the same diamond. I realized that in some manner, I do fear God, but in others I do not.
Could it be that we are so afraid of communicating fear as "being afraid of" or "fright" that we have negated this vital command of God? "And the LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day." Deuteronomy 6:24 Often, when we do hear the fear of God addressed it is a watered down version that gives us warm fuzzies. It does not reflect this truth: "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. " Hebrews 10:31.
Just because the wrath of God for my sin has been satisfied by the blood of Jesus Christ, should I take advantage and ignore the severity of the penalty paid? Oh, Lord forgive me. Change me. May I think Your thoughts after You.

Diane

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