Young People's Group

LEARNING TO FEAR THE LORD

by Pastor Mitch
December 02, 2007

The Problem Of Having A Poor Regard For God

Our regard of God most definitely affects the way we relate to Him. When we have a high esteem of Him, we will naturally practise greater humility as we approach Him. On the contrary, a poor regard will cause us to approach God in a frivolous manner. When the Lord called for Moses, he immediately responded in a casual and wrong way. He merely said “Here I am” (Exodus 3:4). His expression denoted a lack of reverence and fear for the Lord. He responded as he would have to anyone else who had called him. The Lord had to teach him what it meant to have a proper regard for Him.

Having A High View Of God

How did the Lord teach Moses to fear Him?

1. Recognising God As The Most Holy One

“Then He said, ‘Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.'”
Exodus 3:5

The Lord told Moses not to come closer to the bush because He was a God of great holiness and righteousness. The Lord’s holy presence would even cause the ground that Moses was standing on to be deemed as sacred. Moses had to learn to practise the fear of the Lord in humility as he came before Him.

2. Realising God As The Covenant Keeping, Living And Eternal God

“Moreover He said, ‘I am the God of your father – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'”
Exodus 3:6

Moses had to also learn that this was the God who had given the covenant to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. As God was great and wonderful to the patriarchs in keeping His covenant, so He would also be to Moses. He was the Lord who would always keep His covenant. Moses had to rediscover God as the living eternal promise keeping God.

Learning To Cultivate The Fear The Lord

“And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.” 
Exodus 3:6

As Moses understood and realised who this God was, he reacted very differently from his first response. There was now a greater sense of unworthiness before the Lord. He was conscious of his sins and felt ashamed to look upon the Lord. He tried to hide himself from God. There was now that fear of the Lord in his heart. Young people, let’s learn to let God loom larger in our lives. Let’s learn to cultivate a deeper reverence for Him.

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