Day 30: The fear I will never apologize for.

Day 30! It's here! 

Now, originally this series was intended to be a consecutive 30 days. However, mine did not turn out that way. I'm not going to use the excuse that my life was busy because everyone is busy in their own way (even though it's sort of true *wink*). But I realized that in order to make each day quality writing, words that were worth reading, I needed to slow down, take a deep breath and write when I could contribute something meaningful. The result? Hopefully words worth reading. Not just a task crossed off my daily to do list. And at last (70+ days after I started day 1), I've reached the end. 

Honestly, I'm just grateful I finished. This has been a new & challenging journey for me. It's one I'm so glad I said yes to. I pray that these words have challenged, inspired, encouraged or pushed you nearer to the presence of our Lord Jesus. Thanks for being on this journey with me, friends. 


I tend to believe that most sin can be traced back to something that was originally intended for good. It seems that, unintentionally or intentionally, sin happens when something healthy is twisted and used for evil. 

This is on my mind lately because of what a friend said to me. He said he was intrigued by fear because, though it often becomes sin, it is something God created. Like other sins, maybe fear was originally intended for good? 

Fear is a reaction, a powerful emotion, something that leads us to action. Fight or flight. Self-protect. Fear is multi-faceted, having a purpose, yet it is easily twisted into something evil. 

יָרֵא Yare'{ to affright, dreadful, to make afraid }

Yare' is the fear used to describe Adam & Eve, naked and guilty in Eden. Their reaction to this fear? To hide in shame from the God they once communed with. (Gen. 3)

Yare' is the fear used to describe Isaac as he lied to Abimelech and told him Rebekah was his sister in order to save himself from possible death. (Gen. 26)

Yare' is the fear used to describe what the Angel commanded Mary NOT to be upon the announcement that she would give birth to the prophesied Messiah (Luke 1:30). The same command is given to the shepherds upon angel hosts' worshipful announcement of Jesus' birth (Luke 2:10). 

With over 331 occurrences in the Old Testament, we learn something about this Yare' fear. 

1. It is a very common, fleshly response to something unusual. It is a common response to sin. It seems that yare' is mankind's knee-jerk reaction under pressure. Even those who talked with God and acted as His mouthpiece to His people were drawn to this emotional response. 
2. Over half of these 331 occurrences were paired with a "Do Not". The other occurrences came before some kind of explanation of sinful or irreverent behavior. It seems that this yare' fear is not the type of fear that comes from Yahweh. Perhaps it is the very normal, yet  twisted version of God's original plan for fear. 


יִרְאָה Yirah { awesome reverence, holy fear } 

Yirah is the fear used to describe the way in which wisdom is attained (prov. 1:7). Yirah fear hates evil (prove. 8:13). 

It's the kind of fear that Moses commands to remain in front of the Israelite people to keep them from sin (Exodus 20). 

The prophesied Messiah, a branch from the stump of Jesse, is described as delighting in the Yirah fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11) 

With something like 41 occurrences in the Old Testament, here's what we learn about this Yirah fear. 

1. Yirah is often used in conjunction with obedience and avoidance of sin. It is the antithesis of evil. 
2. Yirah is a commanded response of the people of God. It's a language that speaks love to the heart of God- a childlike awe and wonder at His glory. If yirah is present, there will be an absence of sin and properly positioned heart of worship. 

I struggle with fear. The wrong kind. Many of us do. Yet when I catch myself giving in to yirah, it's a fear I will never apologize for. For I believe it is worship. 

May our hearts be filled with yirah, a holy fear, marveling wonder, childlike reverence. May we choose the good type of fear so that we have a proper detest for sin and respectful yearning for our Holy God. May we recognize when our flesh twists and abuses fear so that we can rightly orient our souls back to Yahweh.