dotty!

while reading the chapter on Rahab in John Macarthur's "Twelve Extraordinary Women", i came across this biblical account:

"Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, and said to the men: "I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath..."
- Joshua 2: 8-11

it struck me because the people living in Jericho then, Rahab included, feared the Lord, feared the prowess of our God. just by hearing what God had done to save and deliver the Israelites time and again, made them fear.. made their hearts melt. and when i read the passage, somehow i myself was struck with that same fear of God plus an additional sense of awe. somehow, the eyes of my heart were opened to the immeasurable greatness of an all-powerful God.

in Rahab's case, the fear in her led to what she did in faith, knowing that the God of the Israelites was God above all. it linked me back to the verse in Proverbs, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Rahab's fear of God led her to do something wise, in faith that the almighty God of Israel would protect her.

it led me to think about myself. what is my vision and understanding of God? do i fear Him enough to take steps of faith in obedience to Him like Rahab did? what should the fear of the Lord even look like?