Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands. His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes. He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor, his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor. The wicked man will see and be vexed, he will gnash his teeth and waste away; the longings of the wicked will come to nothing (Psalm 112:1-10 NIV).

The Psalmist reminds us that appropriate fear is a good thing. The fear he refers to is the fear of the Lord. The fear in this passage is likely similar to a healthy respect for, the acknowledgement that He is Lord, and that He is ruler of our lives. He has power over us. He is in control!

The Psalmist tells us that the one who fears the Lord and delights in His commands should be able to anticipate children who will also see good things, as well as enjoy a kind of wealth and riches that are found in a righteous life that endures forever. Dawn's light will shine through the darkness for the gracious and compassionate righteous man.

The Psalmist tells us that generosity is the foundation for good fortune. Generosity and justice lead to a life that will never be shaken and a life that will be remembered forever.

The Psalmist tells us that there is no need for the one who fears the Lord to fear bad news. He knows that his heart is strong and his trust is in the Lord. He knows that in the end he will triumph. Because of his kind gifts to the poor his righteousness will endure forever and he will have honor for his life.

On the other hand, the Psalmist tells us that the wicked person will never be at peace, he will waste away, and his longings will never be answered.

Living a life that is controlled by fear is not recommended?

Once again we see that there is a choice to be made. In a real sense he is reminding us that our future life, here on earth and in the hereafter, is determined by what we do — what we fear — in the now.

For the most part, living a life that is controlled by fear is not recommended; however, in this case it is. Should we allow the fear of financial ruin, or fear of terrorist, or the fear of may or may not happen today or tomorrow to dominate our thinking and dominate our decisions, we will be miserable people. As Jesus said, "Take no thought in tomorrow, for it can take care of itself."

Our fear should be rightly placed in our relationship with the One who is in control of everything.

So, who are you afraid of?

 

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Title: "So Who Are You Afraid Of?"
Author: Tom Norvell
Publication Date: October 05, 2008

Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul by John & Stasi Eldredge Many Christian women are tired, struggling under the weight of the pressure to be a "good servant," a nurturing caregiver, passionate lover, or capable home manager. What Wild at Heart did for men, this book can do for women.

Tom Norvell is the author of "A Norvell Note." He ministers at the Hermitage Church of Christ in Hermitage, Tennessee.

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