Fearing the Lord

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
turning people away from the snares of death. (Proverbs 14:27)

As I read that this morning I couldn’t help but think of something similar Solomon said a chapter earlier.

A wise person’s instruction is a fountain of life,
turning people away from the snares of death. (13:14)

What does it mean to fear God? Part of what it means is to listen to his word and obey it.

How often, though, do we act as if we know better than God? We look at his word, and say, “I don’t agree with this. This way of thinking is outdated.”

But as Solomon said,

There is a way that seems right to a person,
but its end is the way to death. (14:12)

Satan is a dishonest witness. He is the father of lies. The world around us is buying his lies and is trying to get us to buy them too.

But we can’t afford to listen to them when they speak contrary to God’s word.

Jesus, on the other hand, is a true and faithful witness. He never lies. More, his words of wisdom turn us away from the snares of death and give us life. (Proverbs 14:5, 25, Revelation 3:14)

In fact, it is because of his guilt offering offered on the cross for our sins, that we now are accepted by our Heavenly Father. (Leviticus 5:6; Proverbs 14:9)

So let us fear God, trusting and obeying him. And let us teach our children to do the same so that they may find strong confidence in him too. (14:26)

God is a fountain of life. Let us fear him and drink in his words of life every day.