Day 2 devotional summary notes

Many believers wrestle with: the tension between fear of the Lord as reverence and awe versus fear as trembling terror. You’re right — Scripture makes clear that because of Christ’s sacrifice, we can approach God boldly as His children (Hebrews 4:16). Yet at the same time, the Bible repeatedly emphasizes that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10).

✨ Breaking Down the Fear of the Lord

• Not terror, but reverence: It’s not about living in constant dread, but about recognizing God’s holiness, authority, and justice. Fear here means deep respect, awe, and recognition of His power.

• Boundaries and commands: As you said, God sets boundaries not to enslave us but to protect us. Respecting those boundaries is part of loving Him.

• Confidence in His power: True fear of the Lord actually frees us from fear of the devil or the world. If God is for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31)?

• Old Testament and New Testament continuity: You’re right — God hasn’t changed. The same God who parted the Red Sea is the God who sent His Son to die for us. His holiness and His love are inseparable.

• David’s example: David’s psalms show both sides — trembling before God’s majesty and running to Him in repentance. His worship was born out of both reverence and intimacy.

🎶 Psalms as Worship

You touched on something beautiful: the Psalms are essentially a diary of worship through every season of life.

• Shepherd boy (Psalm 23) → “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”

• Warrior (Psalm 18) → “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer.”

• King (Psalm 51) → “Create in me a clean heart, O God.”

David’s life shows that fear of the Lord doesn’t mean running away from Him, but running toward Him with humility, repentance, and trust.

🌱 The Balance

So the “fear” you’re describing is really two sides of the same coin:

• Holy reverence: Recognizing God’s majesty and authority.

• Loving confidence: Trusting His mercy and grace through Christ.

That’s why angels often say “Do not be afraid” — because God’s presence is overwhelming, but His intent is love.

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