This week’s devotions are based on Week 6 of Cross Examined: Don’t you fear God? (LISTEN HERE)
I didn’t realize in writing yesterday’s devotion that one of our own Crosspoint family would receive Jesus’ promise, “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” Kerran Williams received her crown of glory, the same blessing the thief on the cross received.
Why?
Because like the thief she feared God.
What does that mean?
When we fear God, we revere his person. We understand that God is triune, the Father who is the creator of all things, the Son who is the Savior of all people and the Spirit who brings us to and keeps us in faith. We have confidence that he is not one among many gods, but he is the ONLY true God. He is the one who receives the full dedication of our hearts and lives:
Deuteronomy 6:4-5, 13-17 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
When we fear God, we recognize his perfection.
God is holy and we are not. Enough said.
Leviticus 19:1-2 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.
When we fear God, we respect his power.
God controls all creation. He has the power to divide the seas, calm the storm, heal the sick and make the lame walk…and this just scratches the surface. In the recognition of his power, we must realize our weakness.
Joshua 4:23 For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. 24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”
We may think that all of this leads to being afraid of God. Not so. Fear of God is a healthy respect and reverence for his person, perfection and power. It is a gift of his Spirit that leads us to this understanding. When we have that proper fear of God, here are the blessings.
When we fear God, we get to enjoy his presence. Jesus promised the thief, Kerran and all of us that forgiveness is ours and as a result we can stand in his presence, not flee from it.
Psalm 140:13 Surely the righteous will praise your name, and the upright will live in your presence.
When we fear God, we get to enjoy his perfection. What we could never accomplish on our own, Jesus accomplished for us and gifted to us.
Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
And best of all, when we fear God we get to enjoy his promises. All that he promises is ours as a gift of grace…including the gift of heaven. The thief didn’t earn or deserve it. Kerran didn’t either. We didn’t either. It is simply the gift from Jesus who gives us this truth:
Luke 23:43 Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Apply: We never know when our “today” will be. Pray for proper fear, love and trust in God to be your powerful, perfect Savior.
Prayer: Lord God, thank you for who you are and all you have done for the thief, Kerran and all of us. May our hearts always love you with all our being. May your promise of heaven be real to us every day. Make and keep us ready for our “today” whenever you determine that is. AMEN.