What is the key to unlocking God’s treasure chest?

This post is a little different to the norm for this blog.

It’s not a lightthroughthecracks story of faith, hope and healing miracles.

Instead, it’s a ‘thought for the month’ for January 2021 – a reflection that captures something I’ve been musing on, during the past month, and which I hope will bring you a faith-filled lightthroughthecracks perspective on it.

If all goes to plan, I’m going to try and bring you a regular ‘thought for the month’, at the end of each month, this year. So, here goes …

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Like many people around the world, I was saddened and shocked by the scenes of violence and disorder that emerged from Washington DC on Wednesday 6 January. I watched as rioters and protestors forced their way into the Capitol Building, wondering how it could have been allowed to happen. 

It felt as though the seat of US democracy had been breached. It felt as though the rule of law, and the peaceful transition of power, were being attacked. It felt as though this great nation was being shaken to its core. 

And all because of a claim of a stolen election. 

Some of us live and work, or have lived and worked, in nations familiar with such political power struggles. (I think of Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, at various points in their history, for example.) When this happens, it can feel as if the foundations of all that we hold dear about our nations is being ‘shaken’. 

It was in the midst of this that I felt God remind me of Isaiah 33 verse 6, in the Bible: “He [the Lord] will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.” 

The reference, here, to a ‘rich store’ is one that, for me, conjures up an image of a treasure chest. It is a treasure chest that is full of the treasures of salvation, wisdom and knowledge – which lead to the Lord, who is the only sure foundation for our times. And there is only one key that will unlock this treasure chest. It is the key that is ‘the fear of the Lord’. 

But what does ‘the fear of the Lord’ mean? And how can we use it as a key? 

‘Fear’ in this context is healthy. It’s not about being scared or frightened of God, but rather the opposite. It’s about an understanding of who God is, and how He relates to us, and how we relate to Him. It speaks to me of respect, reverence, honour, awe, adoration and worship of God – and a recognition of His power, majesty and holiness.

‘The fear of the Lord’ is actually the antidote to all the other fears, phobias and anxieties that might come our way in life. It reminds us that, if we fear the Lord, we need not fear anything else or anyone else. 

It is also a choice, and not something that God forces on us. But what a blessing when we make this choice, choosing ‘the fear of the Lord’ rather than all the other fears, phobias and anxieties!

For it is ‘fear of the Lord’ which unlocks the rich store of salvation, wisdom and knowledge that’s available to us. It is the Lord who provides the sure foundation for our times. And how many of us need that sure foundation in the midst of so much shaking in our nations?

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So, as we look back at January 2021, and reflect on this thought:

Is God your sure foundation?
Are you being influenced by fears, phobias and anxieties?
Do you need to cultivate fresh ‘fear of the Lord’?
Do you need to open the ‘rich store’ of salvation, wisdom and knowledge?

Depending on how you answered these questions, perhaps you need to pray, asking God to help you …

As ever, if you want to share your responses in the comments below, you would be more than welcome!

Image by wal_172619 from Pixabay