Fearing the One who cares intimately

Luke 12 : 1- 7

It is never possible to box in our God. We of course try to do so, for it makes us more comfortable that we can hold on to our favorite image of Him......This passage describes God in two totally different ways - that have yet to be integrated for He is one God. God is the one who has the power to throw a person into hell; he is the ultimate Judge. We are rightly to 'fear' Him; giving Him the reverence He deserves, the worship He should receive from His creatures. This God, just based on this description alone seems at best a stern ruler and at worst, possibly a cosmic dictator. Would we be comfortable relating to Him?

But we are given at the same time another surprising and more inviting image of God. In the next breath Jesus speaks of a God who cares so intimately for His creatures, that it is almost unbelievable!! God cares for the common sparrow and He counts the hairs on our head. Isn't that too good to be true? After all, our head of hair doesn't seem like such a big thing in life........yet God is someone who, at the end of the day, cares personally for each and every creature. Yes, we are right, then to 'fear' (to reverence and respect) the One who chooses to relate to us in such personal ways. We 'fear not' (in this case a 'worrying anxiety') other things in life because we know His careful attention for us, and we trust that we are valued by Him in a special way.

Today, I had a call from a friend who shared with me her gift of 'consolation' from the Lord during prayer. What she shared affirmed the desire of God to draw near, to bless, to affirm and reassure His beloved people. He is still a God who is far beyond us, holy and just, someone we fear reverentially. But we trust and believe that He cares so much that He 'bends' down and touches the most unworthy, the unclean.........the outcasts.........Only if this is true would we be graced and gifted with consolations, though we could never fully 'measure up' to earn it. I was really blessed by the sharing, as it affirmed yet again for me that God cares intimately for each one. Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me, bless His holy name!!