Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Towards the end of 2020, like most I’m sure, I felt a lot of weariness, and a lot of exhaustion. I grew very apathetic, to the point where not much seemed to bring me excitement or passion. I felt numb. This was not like me as God has placed a deep longing to learn, grow, and adventure within my heart. But the problem was, my heart wasn’t aligned… in HIM. My only resolution began to be to seek Him. He led me to read through the Bible in a year. If you have never done this before, I highly recommend it. God will grow you in ways you would never think possible. Just trust Him and He will see you through it.
There was a gentle leading to begin with Proverbs. It wasn’t audible, just a sense that the words in this book were exactly the prayers needed. I opened to chapter 1, asked the Lord to speak to me. After reading only five verses, I wrote in the margin, “Lord, help me to listen better and increase my learning of You!” which was inspired by verse 5 where it reads, “let a wise person listen and increase learning, and let a discerning person obtain guidance.” It was as if God was highlighting everything I was reading. What an amazing feeling when you intentionally go to the feet of Jesus EXPECANT to hear from Him and everything you read feels like a fountain of information and truth gushing out at you. You can’t get enough.
As I waded into Proverbs, I felt the nudge to sit and soak a while at Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.” The word BEGINNING begged me to stop everything and dive deeper to get a closer look. I began praying, “Lord, teach me how to truly fear you, …what does that even mean really mean?” The Holy Spirit answered as new revelation came into view. The fear of the Lord is only the BEGINNING of knowledge!
My apathy began to drift away as a renewed passion washed over me like a gentle and cleansing wave. Suddenly, the desire to hear from God and explore new territory filled me with expectation in finding new treasures the Lord has hidden in the depths.
If fearing the Lord is only the beginning to knowledge, can we imagine the treasures we will find as we seek Him?
This thought of fearing the Lord consumed me. I continued to press in and ask what it actually meant to “fear the Lord”. And just as I had suspected in early January, if I wanted to hear Him speak, I had to ask the Author Himself in His word… and He spoke. Plain as day, in Proverbs 8:13 CSB, there it was; an answer to an unresolved question that had been stirring for so long in my heart. “To fear the Lord is to hate evil. I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.” My heart soared as I soaked in this truth.
When we seek, He promises we will find.
So with this new knowledge revealed, I feel called to examine my own heart, my own fear of the Lord, and press into His word now more than ever.
Would you join me? This is only the beginning.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for stirring up questions in our hearts so that we would come humbly before you for answers. Thank you for revealing your treasures to us and allowing us to join you in this adventure you’ve created. I pray that we would fear you, that we would hate evil, and pursue You. I pray for hearts that would yearn to grow closer to you and to know you deeper. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.