Fear

"Good men have the fewest fears. He who fears to do wrong has but one great fear; he has a thousand who has overcome it."                                   Christian Nestell Bovee (1820-1904) American author & editor.

If you didn't quite get that, read it again, particularly the last phrase. The old-fashioned syntax makes it difficult, so I had to think about it for a moment. "He has a thousand who has overcome it". Overcome what? The fear of doing wrong. Once a person is not afraid to do wrong, they have a multitude of things to fear. 

I found the statement profound, doubly so because I ran across today in my old writing files. Years ago, I kept a small notebook so I could jot down notes during church or at other times when inspiration hit. Often, the church notes were the inspiration to write. These days, I have precious little inspiration. So, this pink note is a welcome sight. 

It was May 8, 1998. I was unemployed but went to work at the housing authority later in the year. We were having a difficult time financially because Jerry and I both were doing temp work to pay the bills and take care of our children. 

The following is from the note, just as I wrote it in 1998

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The fear of the Lord is ...

Prov 8:13 ... to hate evil.    

        9:10 ... beginning of wisdom.

       10:27 ... prolongs days

       14:27 ... fountain of life.

       15:23 ... instruction of wisdom

        19:23 ... tendeth to life ... he that hath it shall abide satisfied and

                        shall not be visited with evil.

        22:4 ... are riches, honor, life

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The fear of the Lord should encompass your life. I am not afraid of doing wrong. I'm terrified. The rewards of the fear of the Lord far outweigh the cost of not fearing Him.

The Morning the Memo Arrived

On Saturday, December 8, while waiting for my breakfast to cook, something impressed me to pray a strange prayer. I wanted to thank the Lord because he had given me books and the knowledge they contain.

As an avid reader, I have hundreds of books, many at my elbow. A third of my library is reference material I’ve gathered from many sources and used for years. They cover history, archeology, anthropology, geology, mathematics, science, and numerous other things. Then I have fiction covering several genres. Some I used for assignments but others for my enlightenment and entertainment.

That morning I felt an overwhelming gratitude and desire to thank God for giving me a mind to learn and access to the materials to fulfill my craving for knowledge and understanding.
While I ate my breakfast, I got ready to do my morning Bible study. I’ve mentioned here before that I use an app called YouVersion. Since the same app is on all my electronic devices, I can pick up where I left off at anytime.

This morning I opened the app and was trying to find out where I stopped but before I did, I noticed behind the window was a highlighted verse. I flipped back to that window and saw Isaiah 50:4.

The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. Isa. 50:4

As far as I could remember, I have never read this verse, but it’s highlighted so at some point I’ve read it. I can’t tell you when, and it doesn’t stick out at me from the last several weeks. So, I do not understand why it popped up. Verses don’t just pop up at random in the app. I checked one of the other devices to see if the same verse appeared on them but it did not.

The verse was so connected to what I had just been praying and thanking the Lord for it astounded me. It took time for me to understand it and even now I don’t.

I’m trying so hard to make my life count. If I touch people’s lives, I’m not aware of it. If my words influences anyone, I never know it. I’m so thankful for all I’ve received. Isaiah 50:4 tells me the Lord has provided me the means, and he hears me. It amazes me that when I need a word of encouragement, the Lord can pick up a simple thing and show me he’s there and he’s listening.