The Healthy Fear of the Lord

# 21 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 2:2 "No one is holy like the LORD, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God. Hannah continues her prayer by proclaiming a couple of God's characteristics. He is first of all holy. But what does that mean? We sing Holy! Holy! Holy! We say “God is holy,” but what are we really saying about God? The quick definition is found in Hannah's next phrase, “there is none beside You.” God is utterly “other,” There is no other being like Him. The word used for holy here comes from a Hebrew word for “clean.” So we understand that God is so “other” because he is so “clean” Perfect, without sin. It is this utter purity that strikes terror into the hearts of mere mortals. The classic example is that of the prophet Isaiah who was ushered into the presence of God. The angels were crying holy, holy, holy and we read of Isaiah's reaction in Isa 6:5 So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips,” it was the unclean in the presence of the absolutely clean and Isaiah became undone. It is when we grasp the holiness of God, and our own unholiness that proper fear of the Lord begins, and the Bible tells us that this fear is the beginning of understanding. (Ps 111:10) I'm afraid many today have come to look upon God and Jesus as their “buddies.” There is little or no regard for the holiness of God. Yes, Jesus is the friend of sinners, but that friendship is cemented only after the holiness of God is encountered on a personal level. And that happens when we finally admit our sin. It is just as David said when he was confronted with his sin of murder and adultery: 2Sa 12:13 So David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. David's friendship or fellowship with the Lord was re-established after his confession. May God grant us all a glimpse of His holiness today.