There is no fear of God before their eyes. Romans 3:18.

I’m trying to understand the tension between “fear of the Lord” that leads to good and “fear of the Lord” that makes us want to hide and go our own way. To me, to have no fear of God leads to everything bad that happens. There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes. Romans 3:10-18.

Last night watching PBS, they showed what was happening in areas of Ukraine occupied by Russian troops. Protestant churches are being entered while people are worshiping, women are being taken to be interrogated and while they wait for what will happen, they sing hymns. Crosses are being removed and the Russian flag replaces them. Christians are being called spies for the U.S. No fear of God. No thought to what will happen.

Then today reading Psalm 76. A different time but the same thing. Why do you think Jesus came? He entered into our sorrows and our suffering. We suffer still because we live in the time before Jesus will return to remove all suffering and sorrows. We long for that time. We sing psalms when we are afraid, we pray for everyone as Jesus taught us to do. We rejoice when wars end in this time and we suffer when they rage. Why do bad things happen? How can they not when rulers rule with no love for our Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit? What about us? What about our hearts? God is renowned in Judah; in Israel his name is great…His tent is in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion…There he broke flashing arrows, the shields and swords, the weapons of war…He breaks the spirit of rulers; he is feared by the kings of the earth…v. 1, 2, 3, 12. One day. You are radiant with light, more majestic than mountains rich with game…It is you alone who are to be feared. Who can stand before you when you are angry? From heaven you pronounce judgment, and the land feared and was quiet – when you, God, rose up to judge, to save all the afflicted of the land. Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise, and the survivors of your wrath are restrained…v. 4, 7, 8, 9, 10.

We live in a time where truly there is no fear of God. How else to explain all of the violence and evil being done? Instead of pointing fingers, let us turn to God. Let us turn to Him in trust and hope. He has nothing to prove to us. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. Psalm 19:1-2. If God didn’t exist we wouldn’t exist either. Stop playing games. The stakes are too high. Remember Jesus’s words of life. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him. Matthew 21:31-32. We are so quick to point fingers and judge and then go on to do great hurt. Jesus came to show us how we are saved and it wasn’t how anyone expected it would happen. He died for us after suffering at the hands of the very people He came to save. And He forgave them. How do we fear our God? Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. Matthew 22:37-39. And all of the rest of the mess we still live in today? Trust God. The fear of the Lord. And then begin a walk with Him leading you to His better way.