Proverbs 1:7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 31:30. …a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
The book of Proverbs literally begins and ends with the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is the beginning or foundation of all wisdom. Without a proper understanding of God and his character we will never be truly wise. This wisdom is the calling of all humanity, but not all will find it, only the excellent woman, the Church of Christ, will receive, embrace, and display the life giving wisdom that comes from the reverent worship, love, and service of God. Why only the Church? Because Christ IS the wisdom of God. There is no fear of God, no obedience to God, without accepting his son, Jesus.
The Christmas story gives us a living example of this wisdom. This fear of the Lord. This excellent woman who fears the Lord and should be praised – Mary.
Luke 1:30-31. 30And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
Mary was just a small town girl, living in a lonely world when the angel Gabriel appeared to her. She wasn’t important. She wasn’t rich. She wasn’t famous. So why would God choose to use her? Because clearly she feared the Lord. She let her fear of the Lord override her fear. How do I know? Just listen to her response to the angel:
Luke 1:38. And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”
Mary feared the Lord more than she feared what other people would think or say about her.
Mary feared the Lord more than she cared about her own comfort.
Mary feared the Lord more than she needed to understand everything that was happening to her.
Mary feared the Lord more than she was afraid of Joseph’s response.
Let it be to me.
For Mary the it was the conception of the Son of the Most High in her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit. No, she didn’t understand it, but she accepted it.
For we who are in Christ the it is the indwelling life of Jesus, not physically as in Mary, but spiritually. The Holy Spirit comes upon us and places the Son of the Most High into our inner being, our spirit. We become one spirit with Christ. We participate in the divine nature. We are transformed into his likeness.
Mary’s first response was a question, “how can this be?” Her second response was a declaration, “let it be to me.” Both responses together demonstrate the fear of the Lord. Moving from questioning to trusting. From confusion to commitment: I don’t understand completely how my union with Christ happens, but I know I want it. And I want to trust in it more than I trust in myself alone.
You: Is there anything about your faith that you don’t understand but you trust it anyway?
You in Christ: How are fearing the Lord and trusting in your union with Christ the same thing?
Christ in you: What would it look like if you started trusting in your union with Christ more than you trust in only what you understand?
Prayer: Father, help me to fear you as Mary did. I want to trust in my union with Christ by the Spirit even when I can’t totally understand it. Amen.
To Live is Christ 