WITH GOD THERE IS NOTHING TO FEAR

Psalm 103:8-12 (NIV) “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

What a remarkable portion of scripture. It speaks volumes regarding the character of God. We can do some pretty selfish, dumb things in our lives at times. Knowing that God doesn’t treat us the way we deserve to be treated is reason alone to rejoice. He does not anger quickly. Man can “fly off the handle” so quickly at times. God looks at our foolish, thoughtless behavior and shows us compassion.

Let’s take a look at the word “fear” in these verses. Fear can mean a lot of things. It can mean: dread, anxiety, apprehension, uneasiness, alarm, dismay, panic … and it can also mean “to be in awe of or to revere”. THAT is the fear we are to have for God. The word “awe” means the “mixed emotion of reverence, respect, dread & wonder” in this case, inspired by the presence of a supreme being; God.

Mercy and compassion can tend to be in short supply in this harsh world we live in. However, our God is overflowing with it and is more than willing pour it out upon His children freely. Our problem is that we seldom stand still long enough to receive the outpouring.

There is a place in between your shoulder blades that try as you might, unless you are double jointed, you cannot reach. I liken God remembering our sins against us no longer as Him having our sins placed in that spot between His shoulder blades and never being able to reach them again. He doesn’t forget about them, for that would constitute a flaw in His character. He chooses NOT to remember them against us any longer. Amazing how we can’t ever seem to forget those wrongs done to us. We harbor resentment and anger towards the perpetrators of these wrongs seemingly forever. And yet the wrongs we have done against God can be far more egregious.

I don’t know about you, but I would like to at least make an attempt to be more like what I read above from scripture then to be whatever way feels right or good at the time. God does not instruct us to stifle us, but rather to make us the type of person He knows we can be. Striving for greatness doesn’t always equate to ACHIEVING greatness, but without striving, achieving is never even possible. So strive to be more like Christ in all that you think, say and do. It is a request that God will always honor.

WALK WITH THE KING TODAY AND BE A BLESSING!