“from generation to generation he is merciful to those who fear him.”
Into the Text
Throughout her song, Mary displayed a deep reverence for God. Sadly, there is not much fear of God in our world. Many people just smile when they hear about God’s commandments. In their minds, God, if he exists, would not be so fussy as to punish people for their disobedience. After all, nobody is perfect, and we are all just trying our best. Some would say, “We are really not that bad, and God is very understanding.” There is much trust in people’s goodness and a great downplaying of God’s holiness.
Fearing God means deeply respecting Him and carefully listening to what He says. It means taking seriously His warnings about sin and hell. It means knowing that because God is holy, powerful, and just, we would face certain destruction if we lived in rebellion against Him. We can only fear God when we see what He is like. We can increasingly get to know Him through the Bible.
The more clearly we see God’s holiness, the more we will develop a proper reverence for Him. We will also see ourselves and our sin more clearly in His light. This will cause us to grieve as we realize that we cannot stand before a just God in our own righteousness. Fear of God will produce humility and a sensitive heart.
Mary knew that this fearsome God was full of mercy and compassion when He saw people in their sin and desperation. And we know what Mary did not yet know. The only safe place from God’s punishment is the cross, the place where Jesus, God Himself, was punished for our sins. This is where we go for forgiveness and refuge. Here, we are no longer afraid of God but instead rejoice in His mercy. God, in His kindness, has saved us from His own wrath. And, like Mary, we will lose our fear of other people, their opinions, and judgements, as we fear only God.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to fear you more and other people less. Amen.