Friday, June 6, 2025

Abiding

 Devotion: Abiding in the Fear of God

Scripture:
"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." — John 15:7 (KJV)


Reflection:
We’ve been exploring what it means to abidein Christ. We’ve learned that to abide is to dwell with Him, to live as a guest under His lordship, and to root our lives in His Word. But today, we turn to a weightier dimension of abiding—one that is often neglected in modern Christianity: abiding in the fear of God.

Yes, abiding includes fear. Not a terror that drives us away from God, but a holy reverence that draws us near with trembling and awe. The Greek and Hebrew roots of the word “fear” carry both the sense of reverence and dread—a trembling awareness of God’s majesty, justice, and holiness. It’s a fear that leads to obedience, not rebellion.

Yet many today have dismissed this aspect of God's nature. We have recreated Him in our own image—a lenient grandfather who never disciplines, never commands, and certainly never judges. We speak of grace without truth, mercy without justice, and love without holiness. But such a God is not the God of the Bible.

When we abide in Christ and in His Word, we begin to understand that true relationship with God is rooted in awe-filled reverence. The God of the Old Testament has not changed. He is still “a consuming fire”(Hebrews 12:29), and it is still “a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God”(Hebrews 10:31). Jesus did not come to abolish that holiness but to fulfill it—and to draw us, in humility, into it.

Think of how our lives—and our churches—would change if we truly feared God. Marriages would reflect Christ’s love and self-sacrifice. Pastors and church leaders would lay down power struggles in humility, seeking God's glory rather than their own. Congregations would unite in truth, instead of dividing over non-essentials. And perhaps most strikingly, evangelism would regain its urgency—not as a marketing strategy, but as a call to rescue souls from judgment.

God allows disobedience, but we must never forget—He determines the consequences.


Contemplation:

  • Do I fear God in the way Scripture teaches, or have I molded Him into someone more comfortable?

  • How would my behavior, speech, and decisions change if I truly lived in reverence before a holy God?

  • What does my life say about where I abide? Am I in Christ, or merely near Him?

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom...” (Proverbs 9:10). If wisdom starts there, should not our walk with Christ start there too?


Prayer:
Lord God,
Forgive me for when I have taken You lightly—when I have forgotten that You are holy, sovereign, and just. Teach me to abide in You not only with affection but with reverent fear. Let me not live by convenience but by conviction. Put within me a heart that trembles at Your Word and delights to obey You. Help me to walk as Jesus walked—in humble submission and holy awe. May Your fear cleanse me from compromise and keep me faithful to Your truth. I long to abide in You fully. Make my life reflect that I do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.


Challenge for Today:
Examine your thoughts and actions through the lens of holy fear. Where have you been casual with God’s commands? Where have you sought His blessings without submitting to His lordship? Begin again today—abiding in His Word, and in reverent fear.

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