Rejoice with trembling

🛐 Daily Prayer: "Our Father, we would not crouch before you, like slaves before a tyrant, but feel the spirit of adoption, which shall draw us into familiar intercourse with you."

Author

SpurgeonBooks
May 27, 2024

Pray with Spurgeon

Daily Newsletter from SpurgeonBooks

This week, our prayers and Scripture readings each day will focus on the fear of God. Next week, we’ll highlight a different theme. Invite a friend to pray with you by sending them this link.

DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Our Father, we would not crouch before you, like slaves before a tyrant, but feel the spirit of adoption, which shall draw us into familiar intercourse with you; though still with holy trembling, for you are God in heaven, and we are still but men upon the earth, and at the very sight of you we feel a trembling coming over us; yet is there joy with it; and you have taught us to rejoice with trembling.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Serve the LORD with reverential awe and rejoice with trembling.” (Psalm 2:11)

There must always be a holy fear mixed with the Christian’s joy. This is a sacred compound, yielding a sweet smell, and we must see to it that we burn no other upon the altar. Fear, without joy, is torment; and joy, without holy fear, would be presumption. Mark the solemn argument for reconciliation and obedience. It is an awful thing to perish in the midst of sin, in the very way of rebellion; and yet how easily could his wrath destroy us suddenly. It should not be that his anger should be heated seven times hotter; let the fuel kindle but a little, and we are consumed. Oh sinner, take heed of the terrors of the Lord; for “our God is a consuming fire.”

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Find freedom by fearing God.

The fear of God is a troubling and confusing phrase for many. We know that it appears all over Scripture, but we don’t know what it means. We know it means more than basic “respect” or “reverence.” But we also don’t feel right running scared from our loving Father.

A really helpful book, Rejoice and Tremble: The Surprising Good News of the Fear of the Lord by Michael Reeves is a beautiful guide to understanding and applying the fear of the Lord.

Reeves shows that the fear of the Lord is not a negative fleeing from God, but a wonder-filled joy in God and all that he is. The fear of God is the path to freedom from all anxiety. Reading this book filled my heart with joy and love for the God who must be feared, and I know that it will do the same for you.