What does walking in the fear of the Lord mean?

Walking on the narrow path of the Lord, means walking in the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord has nothing to do with being fearful, anxious, or afraid of God. But to fear the Lord means to have respect and live in awe of the most High God; the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth, and all there is within, and to love Him. There is none like Him. Fearing the Lord is not a passive behaviour, but it requires action. KuZaga 2:1-5 we read about walking in the fear of the Lord. What does walking in the fear of the Lord mean? How do you walk in the fear of the Lord?

What does walking in the fear of the Lord mean?

Umfana wami, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yebo, if thou criest after knowledge, and lightest up the voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God(Izaga 2:1-5)

When do you walk in the fear of the Lord? Proverbs chapter 2, verses 1-5 gives an answer to this question. Solomon mentions 10 actions:

  • Receive His words
  • Hide Imiyalo Yakhe
  • Incline your ear unto wisdom
  • Apply your heart to understanding
  • Cry after knowledge
  • Lift up your voice for understanding
  • Seek her like silver
  • Sesha for her as for hidden treasures
  • Then you qonda the fear of the Lord
  • futhi find the knowledge of God

Let’s have a look at each one of these steps.

Receive His words and Hide His words

First of all, you should hear, and receive the Words of God, and keep those Words with you in your heart. When you accept His words and gcina imiyalo yakhe, then the Word shall be in you, and you shall be in the Word (uJesu). Just like Jesus said:

And the glory which thou gave me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou has loved me (UJohane 17:22,23).

Incline your ear unto wisdom and
apply your heart to understanding

When you accept His words, and keep them in your heart, then your ear shall notice wisdom. Because you shall hear, and because you hear, you shall become wise. Ukukholwa comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. The Word shall live in your heart, and because of that, you shall live and walk in wisdom, and knowledge.

Cry after knowledge and
lift up your voice for understanding

You shall get understanding by hearing the Word of God, keeping the Word of God, and by speaking the Word of God. You’ll therefore cry after knowledge. You will call those things which are not, sengathi bakhona.

There must be a desire inside of you to spend time with God, in His Word. Study His Word, seek and find all truths that are written in the Word (the Bible). You can only find true wisdom and knowledge in the Word.

Seek her like silver and
search for her as for hidden treasures

Seek Him, as you seek for silver, and search in the Word for those hidden treasures, because God has given you an inheritance. You will only find out what this inheritance contains, if you seek His Kingdom, and search in the Word. He wants to reveal those things to you, through His Word.

Walking in the fear of the Lord and
in His knowledge

If you spend time in His Word and seek for truths, then you shall get to know the Lord and find all truth. When you find all truth, then you shall understand the fear of the Lord. When you understand the fear of the Lord, then you shall find knowledge, and you shall be walking in the fear of the Lord, and in His knowledge.

Funda futhi ‘Walking in love

“Yiba usawoti womhlaba”

Ungase Uphinde Uthande

    iphutha: Lokhu okuqukethwe kuvikelwe