awe

Sunday September 30^th, Psalm 19: ⁹ The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. ¹⁰ They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. ¹¹ By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. We don’t do much with the word “fear” anymore in relation to God.  In many ways that is good theology, but perhaps we have lost a little bit also.  I love the text where Jesus refers to God as Abba, or Pappa, the comforting symbol of crawling up in the lap of God is filled with warmth and love.  But perhaps sometimes, it is also good to have just a bit of awe at the prospect of encountering God, and a bit of concern about being the child of God we are called to be.  Perhaps just a bit of fear, will all the overwhelming love, would provide a good balance.  Not so much because God is to be feared, but because we need a bit of the awe that goes along with God as well as the love.  So love God with reckless abandon and with all of your heart and soul and mind, but be enough concerned about pleasing God that you at least move forward in life the way you would with a parent you both love and respect.