Today's Devotional

October 7, 2004

Subject:  I'm A Fearist! 

Ecclesiastes 12:13 - King James Version
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Nehemiah 7:2 - King James Version
That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.

That's right a "fearist."  My job or whole duty as the scripture puts it is to "fear God and keep His commandments."  Therefore I'm a "fearist."  Of course I've never heard such a word before, but when you look at our relationship with God, that's what we should be and that should be our profession.  

So what does it mean to be a "fearist" or to fear God?  In a nutshell, it means revering or respecting Him for who He is.  It means that I do nothing without first considering whether or not it pleases or glorifies God.  The minute we begin to make decisions without running it through our "fearist filter" then we have shirked our duty, because remember, our duty is only that of lifting up our God and doing those things that He would have us do.  

When leadership was decided by the people of Nehemiah's day, they didn't choose based on intellect or experience.  They chose "fearist," men who were faithful and feared God.  For the duty of man doesn't require simply ability, but more than that, it requires humility to the God who hath made us.  Not only should we choose such for our leadership, we should be such.  Consider that today.   

 Carlen