The Fear and The Father

We would do well to take God out of the little, logical box we try to keep him in and worship him with the awe and reverence he deserves.

In Genesis 31 one of the names for God is “The Fear” as in Genesis 31:42. A great amount of fear in regards to God is healthy for our faith.

Genesis 31:42 (ESV) 42If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.”

If The Fear is on your side you have nothing else to fear. This God who is to be reverenced is also desiring to be Father:

Romans 8:12 - 17 (ESV) 12So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

It’s a mystery that we will never completely understand, but then those of you who have known your fathers will see some parallels on how you can be respectful of someone but also have the intimacy to call him, “daddy.”

You will be like Jacob who wrestled with God and lived to be a righteous man of faith:

Genesis 32:28 - 30 (ESV) 28Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”