Oct. 17
HOLY FEAR
"He that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded" Prov. 13:13
Holy awe of God's Word is at a great discount. Men think themselves
wiser than the Word of the Lord, and sit in judgment upon it. "So did
not I, because of the fear of God." We accept the inspired Book as
infallible, and prove our esteem by our obedience. We have no terror
of the Word, but we have a filial awe of it. We are not in fear of its
penalties, because we have a fear of its commands.
This holy fear of the commandment produces the restfulness of
humility, which is far sweeter than the recklessness of pride. It
becomes a guide to us in our movements; a drag when we are going
down-hill, and a stimulus when we are climbing it. Preserved from evil
and led into righteousness by our reverence of the command, we gain a
quiet conscience, which is a well of wine; a sense of freedom from
responsibility, which is as life from the dead; and a confidence of
pleasing God, which is Heaven below. The ungodly may ridicule our deep
reverence for the Word of the Lord; but what of that? The prize of our
high calling is a sufficient consolation for us. The rewards of
obedience make us scorn the scorning of the scorner.