Awe and Intimacy (Prov 2:5)

1. Awe: "the fear of the Lord" > reverence, respect, being overwhelmed. The results are worship, stillness, silence, service and submission.
2. Intimacy: "the knowledge of God." It can be discovered, internalized and applied. While God might seem a mystery, He is not trying to remain mysterious or elusive. He wants to be known.
3. Awe and intimacy go together. Those who do not fear Him stand no chance of knowing Him beyond paper doctrines. And can you really worship a God you have no interest in knowing or pleasing?
4. The order is important. Fear (awe) comes first. It is the beginning of wisdom (Prov 9:10) and the beginning of knowledge (Prov 1:7).

Consider a visit to an art gallery. The tourist finds himself captivated, spellbound, absorbed, taken in by a painting. Then he asks the director questions about the painting, the painter, the painter's mindset and intention for this work. Knowledge follows awe. Curiosity follows captivation. Are you captivated by God?