FOR HE IS OUR GOD
WEDNESDAY 23
“For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His
voice.”
Psalms 95:7 (NKJV)
READ: Psalm 95:1–11; 2 Peter 2:4–9
In our text, the Psalmist says we should kneel before the LORD our Maker and worship and bow down, for He is our God (Psalm 95:6,7).
He said further that we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand (Psalm 95:7). In another passage of the Bible, it is repeated that we are the sheep of His pasture (Psalm 74:1; 79:13).
Some have taught that believers are children of God, and it is true, because the Bible says so (John 1:12; 1 John 3:1).
In addition to that, some have further taught believers need not fear God, since God is our Father, we should not
fear Him but relate with Him affectionately. That sounds good, and may be substantiated with a number of Bible passages, however, it is not absolute truth.
Such also say that when the fear of God is being talked about in the Bible, it is about His reverential fear and not
tyrannical fear, it is true as well. However, the fear of God goes beyond only reverential, there should be fear in which you tremble before Him. One thing that is not commonly found in today’s believers is this fear of God—they may claim that they love God but they do not fear Him!
It has been taught by many that God is our Father, He is not a tyrant and should not be feared as you are fearful of rattlesnakes or whatever. That may sound biblical but it can still be faulted.
Some have taken such teaching to mean that they can do whatever they like and the moment they pleaded for mercy,
God would just forgive them and overlook everything without any consequences.
God does promise forgiveness for whoever repents of his or her sin (1 John 1:9; 2:1,2), but if the person started taking God’s forbearance and longsuffering for granted, there could be a serious consequence for that (Romans 2:3–6).
We are children of God through faith in Jesus’ substitutionary death and resurrection, and we are reconciled to God—we are His sons and daughters (2
Corinthians 5:17,18). Albeit, we are still the sheep of His pasture. There should still be this awe in our relationship with Him, God.
The way some people have taught this teaching of believers sonship, some have the thought that they could just be rude to God and He will just overlook whatever they did wrong and go Scott free, but it is not true. I have even seen
some who claim they are believers, saying, God does not punish or chastise or discipline. But the Bible explicitly
talks about God’s chastisement, disciplining any erring child of His (Hebrews 12:7–11).
In fact, the Bible says a believer who is not being chastised by God is a bastard or illegitimate (Hebrews 12:8).
A genuine believer who has really encountered God and is thoroughly broken, such would know that God is not that cheap and simple. God is thorough. In fact, He could be called a perfectionist. God is a unsurpassed or prime disciplinarian (Proverbs 3:11,12; Hebrews 12:5,6).
Although, He might be condoning a number of things that you are doing wrongly, but after a while, He would
want to put His foot down and expect you to do the right thing according to His word and principles. Someone who has seen the other side of God would not take Him for granted. One of the signs of thorough brokenness in a believer’s life is fear and trembling.
This is usually found in the lives of those who have genuinely encountered God and had been taken through His chastisement or discipline or suffering. Those who have been taken through fire.
Those who have experienced His severe hands of discipline or punishment when they missed it. Palpitation, trembling
and fear are the common signs of those who have genuinely encountered God.
You do not fear God reverentially alone, but you fear Him because He is God who kills and makes alive:
6 “The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up.
7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up.”
1 Samuel 2:6,7 (NKJV)
He is God who can scatter a thing if He was not satisfied with it and start all over again (Genesis 6:5–7). God destroyed the first world with flood because of the wickedness of humans and started afresh with Noah and his family (2 Peter 2:4–6).
The Scripture also says:
"FOR THE TIME HAS COME FOR JUDGEMENT TO BEGIN AT THE HOUSE OF GOD; AND IF IT BEGINS WITH US FIRST, WHAT WILL BE THE END OF
THOSE WHO DO NOT OBEY THE GOSPEL OF GOD?" (1 Peter 4:17)
The point being made in all is that God is awesome, He should be feared and trembled before. Though not a tyrant,
but you should tremble before Him.
God is nobody’s mate; He is the Father of those who put their faith in Christ Jesus and the creator of the whole universe.
If anyone told you that you should not fear God and tremble before Him, such is not telling you or teaching the whole
truth about God.
Peace.
Reflect:
• Do you relate to God as “He is our God” or as a distant God?
• As a sheep of His pasture, are you listening to God’s voice? Are you being led by Him?
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