05/31/2026
Sunday Evening Devotion
5.31.26
Because of Love
Have you seen your relationship with God move from fear, afraid-kind- of-fear, of God, to a deep, deep love for God; where our desires are for God and His Word, to know Him deeper, serve Him better, love Him more? Often, especially when we first come to know the Lord, we read the word or volunteer to serve in the church because we are afraid of His wrath, His judgment and think doing those things will keep us from being in trouble with the Father.
As we develop our relationship, over time we desire more of Him and His Word. We want to read His Word, we want to serve Him and others. We do it to please Him, because we love Him, more and more and more.
“There is no fear in love” I John 4:18, “But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”
John goes on to say, ‘we love because He first loved us.’
God’s love for us removes the fear (the afraid kind of fear) we have and replaces it with love for Him and for His creation. What kind of fear do you have for God? Is it a fear that respects His authority, His power? A fear (reverence) that stands in awe of His love and His gift of His Son? Do you fear Him in reverence for Who He is, Father, Creator, Sustainer, God Almighty?......
There are different kinds of fear, often it’s fear of punishment if we do not obey, or not do it the way that is expected. Humanly, if we do our best at anything, it pleases God, so He will not be disappointed in us for giving it our best, even if the attempt fails. But if we refuse to obey, or don’t start what we are supposed to do because we fear the outcome, fear what God will say, then we need to fear (the afraid kind of fear) His judgment.
I want to look at Exodus, the first chapter, let’s start at verse 15. “The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.” (17) The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live. Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?” The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.” (20) So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. (21) And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.” Exodus 1:15-21
These midwives’ love for God diminished their fear of Pharaoh. The fear and reverence they had for God trumped the fear, the anxiety they had of Pharaoh. They came up with a reasonable excuse or reason (I believe God’s wisdom) to explain why they can’t kill these babies.
And look at verse 20, “So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous”. And 21 says: “And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own.”
God protected them and blessed them for loving Him more than fearing man. They stood with courage and they were willing to take the punishment of Pharaoh should he not believe their reasoning, rather than receive judgment from God. Their love for God overruled their fear. Their love for God replaced that fear of man with faith in God. And, as always, God is faithful to the faithful.
A favorite verse of mine, actually my daughter sent me this verse when praying for me when I had 6 homeless people living with me. Hebrews 6:10 says, “God is not unjust, He will not forget the love you have shown Him as you help His people and continue to help them.”
When we show God our love for Him by our obedience, by our service, our sacrifice, our surrender, our selflessness; God shows His love to us in the form of courage, strength, comfort; whatever we need to face the moment we are living in.
Rather than fearing (being afraid of) God or fearing what mere man can do to us, let’s love God, pursue God, delight in God and we can face anything God allows in our lives! “Greater is HE that is in us, than He who is in the world” I John 4:4b. Let your love for God overrule anything this world initiates.
Does the love of God compel us to show that love everyday in our lives? We do not have to fear the evil of this world. Let’s have a healthy fear of God, honor God, worship Him, obey Him with awe and reverence in everything we do.
Blessings
Pastor Nan
