Walking on the narrow path of the Lord, means walking in the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord has nothing to do with being fearful, manawa, or afraid of God. But to fear the Lord means to have respect and live in awe of the most High God; te Kaihanga o te Rangi me te Whenua, a kei roto katoa o roto, and to love Him. There is none like Him. Fearing the Lord is not a passive behaviour, but it requires action. I roto i ngā Proverbs 2:1-5 we read about walking in the fear of the Lord. He aha te tikanga o te haere i runga i te wehi ki a Ihowa? How do you walk in the fear of the Lord?
He aha te tikanga o te haere i runga i te wehi ki a Ihowa?
Taku tama, ki te tango koe i aku kupu, a huna aku whakahau ki roto ki a koe; A ka anga tou taringa ki te whakaaro nui, kia anga ano tou ngakau ki te matauranga; Āe, ki te mea ka karanga koe ki te matauranga, kia marama te reo mo te matauranga; Ki te rapua ia e koe ano he hiriwa, me te rapu i a ia ano he taonga huna; Ko reira koe matau ai ki te wehi o Ihowa, a ka kitea te matauranga o te Atua(Whakatauki 2:1-5)
When do you walk in the fear of the Lord? Proverbs chapter 2, verses 1-5 gives an answer to this question. Solomon mentions 10 mahi:
- Whiwhi Ana kupu
- Huna Ana whakahau
- Pānaki tou taringa ki te whakaaro nui
- Tonoa to ngakau ki te matauranga
- Tangi i muri i te matauranga
- Lift up your voice for understanding
- Rapua he hiriwa ia
- Rapu for her as for hidden treasures
- Katahi koe mohio te wehi ki a Ihowa
- a kitea te matauranga o te Atua
Let’s have a look at each one of these steps.
Receive His words and Hide His words
Tuatahi o nga mea katoa, you should hear, and receive the Words of God, and keep those Words with you in your heart. When you accept His words and Kia mau ki Ana whakahau, then the Word shall be in you, and you shall be in the Word (Ihu). Ka rite ki ta Ihu i korero ai:
Na, ko te kororia i homai e ahau ki ahau, kua homai e ahau ki a ratou; kia kotahi ai ratou, ahakoa he kotahi tātau: I roto i a rātau ahau, thou i roto i ahau, kia tino tika ai ratou i roto i te kotahi; Kia mohio ai hoki te ao, kahore ahau i tonoa mai e te thou, a, ka aroha ki a rātau, as thou has loved me (Hone 17:22,23).
Incline your ear unto wisdom and
apply your heart to understanding
Ina whakaae koe ki ana kupu, ka tiaki i roto i o ngakau, katahi ka rongo tou taringa ki te whakaaro nui. Because you shall hear, and because you hear, you shall become wise. Whakapono comes by hearing, me te whakarongo ki te kupu a te Atua. Ka ora te Kupu i roto i to ngakau, a na tera, ka ora koe, ka haere i runga i te whakaaro nui, me te matauranga.
Cry after knowledge and
lift up your voice for understanding
Ka whiwhi koe i te matauranga ma te whakarongo ki te Kupu a te Atua, keeping the Word of God, and by speaking the Word of God. You’ll therefore cry after knowledge. You will call those things which are not, me te mea ko ratou.
There must be a desire inside of you to spend time with God, i roto i tana kupu. Study His Word, rapua ka kitea nga pono katoa kua oti te tuhituhi ki te Kupu (te Paipera). You can only find true wisdom and knowledge in the Word.
Seek her like silver and
search for her as for hidden treasures
Seek Him, as you seek for silver, and search in the Word for those hidden treasures, because God has given you an inheritance. You will only find out what this inheritance contains, if you seek His Kingdom, and search in the Word. E hiahia ana ia ki te whakaatu i aua mea ki a koe, na roto i ta ’na Parau.
Walking in the fear of the Lord and
in His knowledge
If you spend time in His Word and seek for truths, then you shall get to know the Lord and find all truth. When you find all truth, then you shall understand the fear of the Lord. When you understand the fear of the Lord, then you shall find knowledge, and you shall be walking in the fear of the Lord, and in His knowledge.
Panuitia hoki ‘Walking in love‘
“Hei tote mo te whenua”
