Fear is a word that is talked a lot about these days.  Fear of guns, fear of men, fear of failure, fear for our families, fear of rejection, fear…….you fill in the blank.

There was a time in my life when I was full of fear, and for a good reason.  At the age of 16 I lived in Nigeria with my parents who were missionaries at the time.  It was in the mid 60’s and that country was experiencing civil war.  We lived between the two tribes that were fighting the most and our house was on the road people traveled to get from one tribe to the other.  All the sayings you hear about fear (it was so thick you could cut it with a knife, it was so real you could smell it) were all very true.  I remember seeing hundreds of people walking right past our house in total silence with all of their possessions on their backs. Men, women and children, trying to get to  a safe place because their tribe was being murdered. You could see the fear and sadness on their faces.   

The first response to this fear was to run, but my parents and the other missionaries didn’t go by their feelings.  Since they were in Nigeria because of their obedience to do what God had asked of them, they decided to ask Him, through prayer, what they needed to do.  He said stay put!  In retrospect, it was the very best decision (but that is another blog)! 

In Psalm 112 David talks about a fear that can bring peace and confidence.  Verse 1 says “Praise the Lord!  How joyful are those who fear the Lord.”  Then he goes on to tell us all the great things that will happen to those who “fear the Lord”.  

1.  Their children will be successful and bless.

2.  They themselves will be wealthy and their good deeds will last forever.

3.  They will not fear bad news but confidently trust the Lord to care for them!

When you fear the Lord and not the circumstance you find yourself in, you will find fear a great motivator to do the right thing.  Fear of the Lord is nothing more than obedience to Him.  Let fear be a motivator to trust the Lord more than ever before in 2013.  I promise, He is wanting the very best for you.