Until recently I never gave much thought to having a fear of the Lord. I think it is easier to avoid certain characteristics of the Lord, like his anger and wrath, and focus on ones that are easier for us to handle, like his love and grace. To have a real fear of the Lord means that we realize how powerful and uncontrollable he is. And that normally doesn’t fit with the box we put God into. We allow God to work in our lives… but within certain parameters we set up. But I’ve been thinking more about fear. And more specifically how this God we have a fear for, fits with this God who loves us beyond all understanding.
I think a lot about love. And I don’t mean just the romantic, butterflies in your stomach type of love. I mean the all consuming, overwhelming, passionate love that our Father feels for us and I mean the caring, empathetic, kind type of love that we pour out to friends and family. I think the word love gets thrown around a lot, and it gets used more than it should, and less than it should all at the same time. But one thing living in community these past few months has shown me is the power of love. If we can learn to just love people for who they are (not who we want them to be) we have the power to bring real healing and transformation to their life. When we love people out of the overflow of our Father’s love for us we love them with an authentic love that makes them feel seen and cared for. And more than that, I think if we can even begin to comprehend the depth of our Creator’s love for us, we would be blown away. Because it doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t make sense that an all powerful, uncontrollable God loves us intimately and pursues a relationship with us. And that’s where our fear of the Lord fits with our love of the Lord. If we have a fear of our God because of how powerful and uncontrollable he is then we can begin to be blown away by the fact that this same God loves us, and shows us grace upon grace, and is compassionate. Our understanding of God begins with our fear of him.
On a different note, this month is all squad month so all 37 of us are in Livingstone, Zambia working with an organization called JZone! Our main role during the week is building a play park that will be a Christian youth camp for kids! So that includes cutting a lot of grass (with a machete type tool), digging lots of holes (for fence posts, trash, etc) and creating a volleyball court! We have been so blessed by our hosts this month, they are incredible and have so much wisdom and love to give. Last weekend we got to go to Victoria Falls and I got to bungee jump off the bridge with several of my teammates! It was incredible!
I am currently going through Isaiah and I came across this verse this morning: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up, do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18-19
I was so encouraged by this! I don’t want to be held captive by pain in my past that I can’t see the goodness of the Lord and how he is working in my life now! Here’s to the God that makes beauty out of brokenness. He is a good, good Father!
That’s all I got for now. Please keep praying for my squad as we finish our last month in Africa!!
Love you all!
Caitlin
