Whom do i fear?

'. . . you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it.

It is the Lord of hosts whom you should regard as holy,

and He shall be your fear,

and He shall be your dread.

Then He shall become a sanctuary . . .'

Isaiah 8.12-14

A fear of the Lord is a healthy thing; especially if it stems from an awareness of his great and terrible power, coupled with a knowledge of his hatred of sin. It's one thing to look at the world and be afraid of all that could harm the flesh, it's another entirely to glimpse our frailty in the hands of our creator. It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God, if you choose to cast aside a healthy fear of him. Through either underestimating the seriousness of sin or the power of God, we can live a life where a fear of God is never so much as entertained. It is not just a healthy thing, it is a necessity if we are ever to be brought to a place of safety. Regard him as holy, fear and dread what he could do to an undeserving sinner, and then he shall become a sanctuary. It is then that his hands close around us, not to crush, but to protect. Does the fear then disappear? No, it simply progresses to become a deep rooted love and appreciation. The fear is not gone, but changed somehow into something so much richer. I long to truly fear the Lord, that I might know his protection, and rest within the shadow of his wings.