Holy Fear

 Devotion: "The Gift of Holy Fear"

Romans 3:18 (ESV)
"There is no fear of God before their eyes."

When I look at the world around me — the casual blasphemy, the disregard for God's commands, the endless debates over the simplest truths of the Gospel — I see Romans 3:18 lived out daily. Humanity, apart from the Spirit of Christ, is blind and indifferent to the reality of God’s holiness and judgment. I once lived like that too. Before the Spirit awakened my soul, I had no real fear of God. Perhaps I respected religion or admired morality, but I did not tremble before His majesty or bow to His authority.

The absence of the fear of God is a dreadful sign of spiritual death. The unregenerate heart will argue, excuse, or belittle, but it will not submit. How many times have I heard — and perhaps once said myself — questions that seek not truth but self-justification: "What about those who never hear?" "Why would a loving God allow suffering?" "I’m a good person." Such statements reveal not a seeking heart, but a heart without holy fear — a heart blind to its desperate need.

But praise be to God! When He gave me His Spirit, He also gave me a new heart, one that now trembles at His Word (Isaiah 66:2). Not with the terror of hopeless dread, but with the holy awe and reverence due to the One who is infinitely pure, powerful, and just — and yet infinitely loving toward me.

Today, I realize that this proper fear of God — this phobos — is not something I generated by my willpower. It is a gift, born of new life in Christ. This holy fear calls me not to hide from God but to draw near in humility and worship. It teaches me to hallow His name in every area of life, to obey joyfully, and to live always before His watchful, loving eyes.

Contemplation:

• Do I recognize the great mercy God has shown me in giving me a holy fear of Him?

• How does a healthy fear of God shape the way I live, think, and speak?

• Am I daily showing respect, reverence, and honor to God by the way I live my life?

Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
How I thank You for opening my blind eyes and softening my hard heart! Before You gave me Your Spirit, I had no fear of You, no true understanding of Your holiness or my desperate need. I was content in my rebellion, blind to the danger, deaf to Your voice.
But You, in mercy and love, made me alive. You gave me a heart that trembles at Your Word and delights in Your commands. Thank You for the holy fear that draws me to You in reverence, not in terror. Help me to live each day mindful of Your majesty, eager to honor You in all I do.
Forgive me when I grow casual or complacent toward Your holiness. Stir up again in me that holy awe that leads to joyful obedience. I worship You, my gracious and holy God, for the gift of a new nature and for the reverent fear that leads me to life.
In Jesus' name I pray,
Amen.