True Fear of the Lord

"To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech." (Proverbs 8:13)

The fear of the Lord is a desperate need among Christians. Sadly enough, many claim the name of Christ yet lack fear and reverence of the Most Holy God, casually taking His name in vain, courting sin, and winking at evil. Today's verse says, "To fear the Lord is to hate evil…" If we don't HATE evil, we really have no true fear of the Lord.

When we first read this verse it's easy to lay these offenses on others, looking at other's lives and seeing their pride, arrogance, evil behavior, and perverse speech. But the Lord doesn't want us to look at how others add up; He wants us to examine our own hearts.

Do you hate pride but allow yourself the luxury of thinking a little too highly of yourself? Do you hate arrogance but allow yourself to think you're just a little better than most others? Do you hate evil behavior yet "bend the rules" every once in a while because "God understands"? Do you hate perverse speech by let a word slip now and then?

We are quick to say that we hate evil but we actually mean we hate evil in others. Most of us have not learned to hate evil in ourselves.

For many, one of the hardest things to overlook in others is pride and arrogance. Yet, so often my own attitude declares me guilty of the very thing I hate. Evil behavior and perverse speech are very often easy to accept…we're surrounded with examples of it day and night on the television and in the public. Yet, the prideful and arrogant seem to be a much greater sin in our eyes – our own prideful and arrogant eyes.

"To fear the Lord is to hate evil" is an invitation to do self-examination. Do we really fear the Lord? Then we must hate the evil in our own hearts – there's enough to deal with hiding in the recesses of our hearts to keep us busy for our entire lifetimes.

Father, forgive me for my prideful and arrogant heart. Lord, I forget that my attitude toward others is often proof that my struggle is no different. Oh Father, help me to run to the mirror of Your Word so that the perverseness of my own heart can be exposed and dealt with. Lord, I plead the blood over my life, my heart, my attitudes, and my ways. Father, let Jesus be seen in me as I grow in my fear of and love for You! In Jesus' name, amen.

"By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil." (Proverbs 16:6)

© 2008 Jan Ross
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