Joy of Fear

6 min read

51 When all the work King Solomon had done for the temple of the LORD was finished, he brought in the things his father David had dedicated—the silver and gold and the furnishings—and he placed them in the treasuries of the LORD’s temple.
— 1 Kings 7:51

It’s not that God was pleased with the extravagance of the temple or even all the effort that was put into the building of the temple and all of its equipment and furnishings. God was pleased that David and Solomon had it in their hearts to build a temple because of the fear of the LORD.

God knows that no human hands could ever build anything that is worthy of Him. But God counts the fear of the LORD as worship that is worthy of His name.

Fear of the LORD must be grounded in the Spirit and truth. That is true worship (John 4:23-24). And true worship that is grounded in the Spirit and truth must be grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Fear of the LORD, worship in the Spirit and truth, the gospel of Jesus Christ—these things can never be separated in our walk of faith.

There is a group of orthodox Jews in Israel who have actually built all the equipment and furnishings for the temple with the expectation that it will be erected again.

The thought of the temple being rebuilt is scary but also exciting. If that ever happens, it may be the start of the end of history and the return of our Lord.

Of course, whether that ever happens or not is not the point. The point is that whether Jesus returns right now or one-thousand years from now, I need to be ready. God says: “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word” (Isaiah 66:2b).

The humble and contrite in spirit, who tremble at God’s word—they are the ones who worship in the Spirit and truth. They are the ones who are ready for whenever Jesus returns.

My journey of faith is a journey of being made ready by the Spirit of God to meet Jesus face to face. Honestly, I was most “ready” right after I got saved. I was so on fire for Jesus, and I feared God’s word with joy!

But that childlike faith was driven more by my emotion than it was my will. And who cares if a childlike faith is driven by emotion or will, as long as my faith is like that of a child.

But if my emotion begins to deflate (which it did), will my will be there to support a mature faith that is like that of a child?

No matter what I say, whatever I preach or teach, no matter what I do—it is all detestable to God unless I have a humble and contrite spirit, unless I tremble at God’s word.

There is great joy in the fear of the LORD. Fear of the LORD goes hand in hand with a childlike faith. And it leads us to worship Christ in the Spirit and in truth.

That has been my journey of faith—to restore the joy of childlike faith—not driven by emotion, but by my will because of the fear of God.

Father, You are worthy. You are true. Guide me to Your truth so that I may fear Your name and know the joy of the salvation You bring. In Jesus’s name. Amen.