Mona Selden writes daily devotions for her church, Marion Baptist, in south-central Virginia. She is co-host with her pastor on The Mosaic of Marion podcast. She has published devotionals and Bible Studies. Her writing and teaching are done with the desire to help others get to know God better through His Word. Mona’s husband is USAF Retired. They enjoy serving their church together and spending time with their adult children and their grandson.
“Do you not fear me? declares the LORD. Do you not tremble before me? I placed the sand as the boundary for the sea, a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass; though the waves toss, they cannot prevail; though they roar, they cannot pass over it.” Jeremiah 5:22, ESV
Several months ago, I started reading the Bible looking for mentions of God’s creative acts. I started in Genesis with my green highlighter in hand and a journal to record what I read. Each mention not only tells us that God is the Creator but tells us about Him. They tell of His power, His might, His sovereignty, and His glory. Jeremiah 5:22 is one such verse. But this verse tells us not only about God and His might but also about how we ought to respond to Him.
In Jeremiah 5, God is speaking to Judah through the prophet Jeremiah because there is no fear of God in their land. To fear God is to be in reverential awe of Him. It is about showing awe, reverence, honor, and adoration toward Him. It is an acknowledgment of who God is and what He has done. When you have the right perspective of God, then you will have a right fear of Him.
This verse in Jeremiah tells us we ought to fear God because He is the one who tells the waves where they are to stop. We stand in awe of Him because He is the one who has placed a perpetual barrier for the sea. If you have ever been to the ocean, you can picture exactly what is being talked about here. Only God is able to tell the waves where they are to stop. Only God can pile up a zillion tiny grains of sand to create the barrier needed to hold back the powerful ocean waves. God told the waves, «Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed» (Job 38:11). That power, that sovereignty, that sustaining might is what causes us to stand in awe of Him. It is what spurs us on to fear Him. Understanding God’s nature and actions, such as controlling the waves, enables us to have the attitude God desires.
The Lord said the people of Judah had «stubborn and rebellious hearts.» They had «turned aside and gone astray» (Jeremiah 5:23). Why? Because they did not fear the Lord. They did not acknowledge God’s power and might. Let us determine in our hearts not to have stubborn and rebellious hearts. Let’s resolve to stand in the fear of the Lord. His power over the waves is but one example of why He deserves our awe and reverence.
