Alice in Wonderland, 2

In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children will have refuge.  The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may avoid the snares of death.

Proverbs 14:26, 27

                  I’m standing at the bottom of the rabbit hole.  The door has a sign on it, inviting me into a land of wonder.  I want what it offers: strong confidence, security, freedom from fear, joy, satisfaction, contentment, merriment, wisdom to escape the traps the enemy sets out for me, and, best of all, sweet intimacy with my Savior.  With everything in me, I want to walk through that door.  The key sits on the table in the center of the room.  The very thing I need to unlock the door is on the table…  The tag on the key reads:  fear of the Lord.

                  What does that really mean (fear)?  I think of the words C.S. Lewis used as he closes out the first Narnia book regarding Aslan (the Jesus figure of the Narnia series).  “He is not safe, but He is good.”  Fear is a two-sided coin:

Side 1:  true comprehension of God’s goodness, his love, his faithfulness, grace, mercy, kindness, long-suffering – the nurturing side of God.

Side 2:  full understanding and awareness of God’s righteousness, his justice, purity – the holiness of God.

Fully seeing, knowing, and believing God puts everything else into a correct perspective.  Of this I am certain:  My God is so big, so strong, and so mighty, there’s nothing my God cannot do! 

                  This, then, is fear – BELIEVING God is who he says he is (truly seeing him with the eyes of our heart), and responding in the one and only appropriate way – in reverent worship.  This is the key that turns the lock in the door.  This is the way to enter into the adventures of Wonderland!

                  But…there’s a problem!