As a young boy I remember being impressed with how big my grandpa’s hands were, especially when my little hand was in his. One day I noticed, however, that he was missing one of his fingers. A printing press had claimed it, I was told. And this became a teachable moment for me: Always maintain a healthy respect for the machinery!
Over the years I’ve met a number of men who’ve lost fingers (or more!) to powerful, fast-moving equipment: machinists, farmers, heavy equipment operators. And I have been very surprised to learn that their serious injuries did not occur when they were beginners. They lost their appendages later on—when they lost their fear of the machines they operated; when their lack of reverence for the powerful machinery made them complacent and careless.
My aviator son Jonathan told me that most pilot-error fatalities do not happen to beginners but to pilots who have a few years under their belt. Since nothing bad has happened, they develop a false sense of confidence. They perform their checklists more casually and follow procedures less precisely. They lose their reverential fear of the weather and complex mechanical systems. And then one day…
Genesis 22 finds Abraham on top of Mount Moriah undergoing the test of his life. At the conclusion of the story the angel of the Lord calls out from heaven to affirm Abraham’s trust and obedience: Now I know that you fear God…
Was Abraham cowering in terror before a capricious, angry deity? Was he trembling in fear of being snuffed out for not appeasing God properly?
Not at all. The biblical concept of the fear of the Lord could be likened to a healthy respect for heavy-duty, high-speed equipment; or to the complexities of flying. It’s a reverential fear of the power and forces in play that keeps one from becoming complacent and careless.
We thrill to worship God for His mercy, love, and kindness. But have we lost something of the reverential fear of God? Have we become complacent or careless about exacting obedience? Do we exude a tolerance for sin that belies our claim to revere holy God? Would the Lord say of us, “Now I know that you fear God”?