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This week, we commence looking at Luke Chapter 12. Please read verses 1-12 every day this week and, if possible use a different translation each day, asking God to open your eyes to fresh revelation from His Word.
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Luke 12:5-7 (NIV)
‘But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.’
I think I’ve mentioned several times before that I didn’t particularly enjoy my time at school. There seemed so many better things that I could be doing with my time and add to that the aggression evident everywhere, I can’t say that they were ‘the best days of my life’.
There were some great lads at school though and some of them were very friendly. Unfortunately, not everyone was! In all honesty, I don’t I was afraid of many things in my youth but there was one particular lad at school who was just awful. We’d had a few run-ins and I would always come off second best. He had that look about him that said ‘don’t mess with me’. I tried not to but on occasion it wasn’t always possible and I’d regret every moment. But that was a long, long time ago.
Quite recently, while travelling on the train, I glanced up from the book I was reading and my eyes met with the guy sitting across the aisle. Instantly, I was transported back to those awful days as the fear began to rise once again as I faced this same person who caused me more than a little discomfort in school. He didn’t recognise me, thankfully, but I knew who he was. The eyes were the same and he still provoked the same feeling in me – fear. I had no reason to be afraid of him now, but it made no difference. I was afraid.
Jesus said to fear God. Notice the repetition he also uses – “I tell you, fear Him”. Over the years, I’ve seen many people interpret this ‘fear’ into a terrible state of unwillingness to do anything wrong with their lives completely bound by inactivity. I don’t for a minute think that Jesus wants any of us to fear God in the same way that I feared the guy from school. God has the power to cast into hell but Jesus also balances this out with the phrase ‘Don’t be afraid’.
So how can we fear God while not being afraid? I think the word ‘fear’ is best translated as ‘holy reverence’. God is holy, He is just, He is awesome and majestic. He is also loving and cares for you. Our response to Him should be one of respect, reverence, love and trust.
Our final destiny could be the one that is deserved based on our sinful nature and actions. God is Holy and has the ‘right’ to cast us all into hell. However, He’s asking us to place our trust in Jesus, to place our faith in His cross and rely on the sacrifice He made on our behalf.
Jesus said that God cares for the apparently insignificant sparrow and goes on to say that we are of much more worth in God’s eyes. When we place our trust in Jesus, our place in heaven is guaranteed. God assures it.
The final lesson therefore is that we are being called to have a deep understanding and assurance that God’s love, compassion and care will never fail us. Even at the point of death!
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