Remember, Fear God
What are you afraid of?
I used to be afraid of heights.
Standing on the edge of a tall building made my palms sweat. Leaning over the edge to take a look made my heart race and my legs turn to jelly. I did not like that feeling. Never mind that fact that there was a railing, bolted into the ground, strong enough to catch a Buick...my mind still couldn't convince my body that I was safe. Or, was I?
It is true that I was very high in the air. It is true that if I were to fall off the edge, I would certainly not like the outcome, let alone survive it--and my panicked response did nothing to help steady my footing around the edge. I really could get hurt.
I remember the day that my fear of heights changed. When was that? The day I took up rock climbing. Yes, you heard me, rock climbing.
I remember my first climb. My instructor, who was a world class climber, had just finished tying me in, and was reminding me of the strength of the rope, the stability of the anchor, and the years of experience that he had climbing as I was getting ready to climb. He walked me through the final checklist, reminded me of the skills we had discussed, and told me to "climb on." I focused on the skills that we had gone over, took one step at a time, remembered to not let my hands get too far above my shoulders, another step...and before I knew it I was ringing the bell at the top of the climb. "Wow," I said, "what now?" "Let Go," my instructor said.
What? Let go....really?
I noticed, for the first time, that I was quite a ways off of the ground. That fear of heights started to come back. If I let go, it's a long way down. "Ummmm, can I climb down?" His reply, "Let go, I've got you Eric, trust me."
In a split second fear slammed the accelerator in my brain to light speed. Trust him, easy for him to say, he's standing on the ground. Trust him, I'm the one that's gonna bounce. Trust him, maybe if I aimed just right...
Trust him...well, he is a top ranked climber, and he did tie me in, and...the equipment is strong enough to catch a car if necessary, and he hasn't dropped me yet.
"OK, so what do I do next?"
"Grab the knot, lean back off the rock wall, keep your feet in front of you, and sit down."
My mind raced, 'down is the operative word--oh yeah, you'll be going down alright'...
"OK, here goes nothing."
I remember the exhilaration and fear of leaning off the rock, and kicking out, and riding down the climb that I had just completed, it was awesome! I now remembered why kids were so prone to the phrase, "Do it again Daddy, do it again!" I couldn't wait to climb again--and I have ever since.
There is a healthy fear that comes with rock climbing. It reminds me that there are ways to do things, and reasons why protocol matters. When these are followed, and skills are learned, and honed, there is an excitement that comes with climbing, as well as a healthy fear. When these are ignored, or forgotten, bad things can and do happen.
About a year later, I was working a problem. The challenge was to navigate an entire room without touching the floor. The gym had a blue line at the 8 foot mark, DO NOT GO ABOVE THIS LINE. When bouldering you don't have a safety line, sometimes there is a crash pad, but for this problem, the line was the guide, the boundary, the limit.
I had been working on this problem for weeks, and hadn't been able to complete it yet, but today might be the day. I had made it around 3 of the walls, and needed to clear 2 more problems to be able to turn the corner and finally complete the circuit. Unfortunately, I hadn't counted on the limited footholds on this edge, and was so engrossed in my climbing that I lost sight of the blue line...which was now very, very far below my feet. I remember missing the foothold. I remember falling. I remember the distinct experience of realizing that I was falling and was surprised that I had enough time to do so. Not good. I crouched and hoped to tuck and roll at the bottom. I might have made it, except for the 3 inch difference in the floor at this juncture. One leg tucked and went to roll, the other struck the edge of the step in the floor and everything in my ankle screamed.
My instructor was the first to run and find me. It was bad. It took months before I could walk right, and it was almost 6 months before I got back on the wall.
I remember that day too.
I had brought in a group of students to climb, like I would do almost every week. I was belaying for them, and enjoying hanging out, but not climbing. When I got off belay, my instructor called me over. He was in a harness and tied in a belay station. "Eric, tie in." "Ummm, thanks, but I, uh..." "Eric," my instructor looked at me, "I understand that you are afraid. I've broken 23 bones climbing, but you need to get back on the wall. I know you can do it, and I promise, I won't drop you. Trust me."
I did trust him. I couldn't argue with that. I was afraid, but...I remembered what he had taught me, and I got back on the wall.
He helped me get back on the wall, and I am so thankful he did.
God calls us to remember who He is and what He does. He is the God who says:
"What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:31-32)
Also, there are many things that we can be afraid of, but God tells us in the Bible:
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
To him belongs eternal praise.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”
(Ps 111:10; Prov 1:7; 9:10; Ex 20:20)
Fear of God leads to learning to do the right thing, in the right way. It helps us to grow in knowledge and understanding, and allows us to begin to know God, and keeps us from sin.
I want to know how to do things the right way.
I want to grow in my knowledge and understanding.
I want to know God.
I want to stay away from sin.
These begin with a Fear of the Lord.
'God, help us to Remember who you are and what you are doing, and cultivate a Fear of God in us that helps us to obey you quickly and cheerfully for the glory of you name, and...
"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”" (Heb 12:28,29--see vs 18-29)
In Jesus name we ask,
Amen
____________________________
Take some time this week to share with someone where your walk with Jesus started, and where He has led you lately--and make sure to hear their story too.
Also, as you are reading the Bible and praying, if God is trying to remove an idol in your life [a good thing that has become an ultimate thing] ask God for the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and obedient heart to respond to the Holy Spirit's leading. Ask a trusted friend to pray with you as you take this journey of next steps with Jesus, and do so together.
____________________________
I'm praying for you
Eric
-all Bible quotes are NIV from www.biblegateway.com
I used to be afraid of heights.
Standing on the edge of a tall building made my palms sweat. Leaning over the edge to take a look made my heart race and my legs turn to jelly. I did not like that feeling. Never mind that fact that there was a railing, bolted into the ground, strong enough to catch a Buick...my mind still couldn't convince my body that I was safe. Or, was I?
It is true that I was very high in the air. It is true that if I were to fall off the edge, I would certainly not like the outcome, let alone survive it--and my panicked response did nothing to help steady my footing around the edge. I really could get hurt.
I remember the day that my fear of heights changed. When was that? The day I took up rock climbing. Yes, you heard me, rock climbing.
I remember my first climb. My instructor, who was a world class climber, had just finished tying me in, and was reminding me of the strength of the rope, the stability of the anchor, and the years of experience that he had climbing as I was getting ready to climb. He walked me through the final checklist, reminded me of the skills we had discussed, and told me to "climb on." I focused on the skills that we had gone over, took one step at a time, remembered to not let my hands get too far above my shoulders, another step...and before I knew it I was ringing the bell at the top of the climb. "Wow," I said, "what now?" "Let Go," my instructor said.
What? Let go....really?
I noticed, for the first time, that I was quite a ways off of the ground. That fear of heights started to come back. If I let go, it's a long way down. "Ummmm, can I climb down?" His reply, "Let go, I've got you Eric, trust me."
In a split second fear slammed the accelerator in my brain to light speed. Trust him, easy for him to say, he's standing on the ground. Trust him, I'm the one that's gonna bounce. Trust him, maybe if I aimed just right...
Trust him...well, he is a top ranked climber, and he did tie me in, and...the equipment is strong enough to catch a car if necessary, and he hasn't dropped me yet.
"OK, so what do I do next?"
"Grab the knot, lean back off the rock wall, keep your feet in front of you, and sit down."
My mind raced, 'down is the operative word--oh yeah, you'll be going down alright'...
"OK, here goes nothing."
I remember the exhilaration and fear of leaning off the rock, and kicking out, and riding down the climb that I had just completed, it was awesome! I now remembered why kids were so prone to the phrase, "Do it again Daddy, do it again!" I couldn't wait to climb again--and I have ever since.
There is a healthy fear that comes with rock climbing. It reminds me that there are ways to do things, and reasons why protocol matters. When these are followed, and skills are learned, and honed, there is an excitement that comes with climbing, as well as a healthy fear. When these are ignored, or forgotten, bad things can and do happen.
About a year later, I was working a problem. The challenge was to navigate an entire room without touching the floor. The gym had a blue line at the 8 foot mark, DO NOT GO ABOVE THIS LINE. When bouldering you don't have a safety line, sometimes there is a crash pad, but for this problem, the line was the guide, the boundary, the limit.
I had been working on this problem for weeks, and hadn't been able to complete it yet, but today might be the day. I had made it around 3 of the walls, and needed to clear 2 more problems to be able to turn the corner and finally complete the circuit. Unfortunately, I hadn't counted on the limited footholds on this edge, and was so engrossed in my climbing that I lost sight of the blue line...which was now very, very far below my feet. I remember missing the foothold. I remember falling. I remember the distinct experience of realizing that I was falling and was surprised that I had enough time to do so. Not good. I crouched and hoped to tuck and roll at the bottom. I might have made it, except for the 3 inch difference in the floor at this juncture. One leg tucked and went to roll, the other struck the edge of the step in the floor and everything in my ankle screamed.
My instructor was the first to run and find me. It was bad. It took months before I could walk right, and it was almost 6 months before I got back on the wall.
I remember that day too.
I had brought in a group of students to climb, like I would do almost every week. I was belaying for them, and enjoying hanging out, but not climbing. When I got off belay, my instructor called me over. He was in a harness and tied in a belay station. "Eric, tie in." "Ummm, thanks, but I, uh..." "Eric," my instructor looked at me, "I understand that you are afraid. I've broken 23 bones climbing, but you need to get back on the wall. I know you can do it, and I promise, I won't drop you. Trust me."
I did trust him. I couldn't argue with that. I was afraid, but...I remembered what he had taught me, and I got back on the wall.
He helped me get back on the wall, and I am so thankful he did.
God calls us to remember who He is and what He does. He is the God who says:
"What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:31-32)
Also, there are many things that we can be afraid of, but God tells us in the Bible:
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
To him belongs eternal praise.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”
(Ps 111:10; Prov 1:7; 9:10; Ex 20:20)
Fear of God leads to learning to do the right thing, in the right way. It helps us to grow in knowledge and understanding, and allows us to begin to know God, and keeps us from sin.
I want to know how to do things the right way.
I want to grow in my knowledge and understanding.
I want to know God.
I want to stay away from sin.
These begin with a Fear of the Lord.
'God, help us to Remember who you are and what you are doing, and cultivate a Fear of God in us that helps us to obey you quickly and cheerfully for the glory of you name, and...
"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”" (Heb 12:28,29--see vs 18-29)
In Jesus name we ask,
Amen
____________________________
Take some time this week to share with someone where your walk with Jesus started, and where He has led you lately--and make sure to hear their story too.
Also, as you are reading the Bible and praying, if God is trying to remove an idol in your life [a good thing that has become an ultimate thing] ask God for the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and obedient heart to respond to the Holy Spirit's leading. Ask a trusted friend to pray with you as you take this journey of next steps with Jesus, and do so together.
____________________________
I'm praying for you
Eric
-all Bible quotes are NIV from www.biblegateway.com
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