The Fear of the Lord

I just read this on Carolyn Mahaney's blog. She is the author of a book Emily, Sarah, and I are reading called "Feminine Appeal" and the main gist of the book is learning to become a godly woman, wife, and mother. The book is REALLY good, and her blog has great stuff too. I just read this post that was a response to an email a teenage girl wrote in. It totally applies to me, and to what I want to teach Kate as she grows. I would love to be able to model this for her:

The Beginning of Wisdom

Ana sent us an email yesterday:

Hey girltalk ladies!

I am a teenage girl and enjoy your blog so much. It has been helpful to be reminded of what I need to do now. In the blog you mentioned that teenage girls should be planting seeds. Do you have any examples of things that would be planting seeds?

Thanks!

Your eagerness to make the best use of your teen years is commendable, Ana!

To learn what are the most important seeds to plant in the springtime of your life, our first stop is Proverbs—wisdom written especially for young people. It says that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (1:7). The fear of the Lord is the unique mark of the godly young woman; the most important quality for her to pursue.

What is the fear of the Lord? you may ask. “It’s better described than defined” says author Jerry Bridges. So let me tell you about the girl who fears the Lord:

She’s the girl who knows her God:

She experiences a profound sense of awe at the thought of God, the creator of the universe who is “sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up” (Isa. 6:1).

She trembles with dread and wonder before the perfect, pure, and holy Lord of all “who will by no means clear the guilty (Ex. 34:7).

She marvels at the undeserving love and mercy of Jesus Christ who “is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression” (Num. 14:18).

She delights in the perfect wisdom of God, the beauty and order of His universe, the unfathomable perfection of His plan of salvation, and His loving supervision of every detail of her life.

Her awe of God results in obedience to Him:

She seeks the Lord and delights in God’s Word (Ps. 1:2).

She hates evil. She doesn’t’ admire those who love it (Prov. 8:13). That’s why she doesn’t flirt with a guy or lie to her parents or cheat on a test or gossip about others or worry about what people think about her.

She confesses her sin, serves in secret, cultivates inner beauty, humbly embraces God’s plan for her life, and trusts Him no matter what.

You recognize her because:

She is full of joy, peace, and hope for the future (Prov 10:27).

She has a strong confidence (Prov. 14:26), rest and satisfaction (Prov. 19:23), and contentment in God’s care and provision (Ps. 34:9).

She’s the one to whom God and man give praise (Prov. 31:30-31).