“The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.” (v.25)
Fear can lead us into a an unexpected trap.
There is a story of a man who was running from his wife named Ima Terror. She chased her husband through the crowds at the zoo, waving her umbrella and unleashing insults like invisible missiles. Her perspiring and winded husband, seeing that the lock on the lion’s cage had not quite closed, yanked it open, jumped into the cage, slammed the door, pushed the astonished lion hard against the bars, and peered over its shoulder. His frustrated wife shook her umbrella at him and yelled, “Ralph, come out of there, you coward!” Ralph by running from one fear found himself with a much bigger one.
Obviously this isn’t a true story, but none the less, it shows how we can be confused about whom or what we should fear.
King Solomon wrote, “In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge” (Proverbs 14:26) Our faith then relies on a fear that is different from worldly fear. To fear God is to sense His awesomeness. When we acknowledge that greatness and trust in Him, we no longer want to sin against Him. He becomes our refuge from the fears of this world, and in Him we find peace.
Those who fear God need not fear the world or its snares.
The Truth: “You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield.” (Psalm 115:11)
Fear can lead us into a an unexpected trap.
There is a story of a man who was running from his wife named Ima Terror. She chased her husband through the crowds at the zoo, waving her umbrella and unleashing insults like invisible missiles. Her perspiring and winded husband, seeing that the lock on the lion’s cage had not quite closed, yanked it open, jumped into the cage, slammed the door, pushed the astonished lion hard against the bars, and peered over its shoulder. His frustrated wife shook her umbrella at him and yelled, “Ralph, come out of there, you coward!” Ralph by running from one fear found himself with a much bigger one.
Obviously this isn’t a true story, but none the less, it shows how we can be confused about whom or what we should fear.
King Solomon wrote, “In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge” (Proverbs 14:26) Our faith then relies on a fear that is different from worldly fear. To fear God is to sense His awesomeness. When we acknowledge that greatness and trust in Him, we no longer want to sin against Him. He becomes our refuge from the fears of this world, and in Him we find peace.
Those who fear God need not fear the world or its snares.
The Truth: “You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield.” (Psalm 115:11)
