01/19/2021
Do we characterize our relationship with God as one in which we fear Him? If not then perhaps we misunderstand the meaning of the word fear in relation to Him. Fearing God is not meant to convey the fact that we are afraid of Him... When we fear God we are giving Him our respect and reverence, for which He in return blesses us.
“Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways.
Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.”
Psalms 128:1, 4 KJV
It is true that there is a certain touch of physical fear involved in approaching God because He is mighty indeed, but His love should overshadow our sense of being afraid... no, we are not meant to be afraid of Him, but to respect his strength, power, wisdom, and all the attributes that set Him above us; we are meant to hold Him in awe. So we respect God’s Word as being wisdom, and obey it by understanding it as such.
“And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.”
Job 28:28 KJV
I have a healthy respect for my earthly father. Although he is dead now, the things he taught me still live on inside me, and when I sit in introspection, remembering him, I can see them clearly, and honor him all the more for them. My earthly father was a soldier, a warrior, and a powerful man, but I was never afraid of him. Although he was a fierce man in battle he was equally loving and kind when it came to his family. I respected his strength, but value his wisdom to this day; much in the same way I do my Heavenly Father God’s.
In fearing God, and believing in His Son Jesus Christ, we are blessed with eternal life, and in honoring our earthly father, and taking the wisdom he imparts to heart we also find our life can be extended. The Bible uses such comparisons between our physical and spiritual lives to emphasize spiritual truths and lessons. We gain practice experience, and learn the things of faith, by seeing and touching those that we are seen in our physical world every day.
“Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.”
Exodus 20:12 KJV
So we can learn much about fearing God by honoring our earthly father, but we can also learn to honor our parents by understanding what it means to fear God. In the end however, scripture always separates the spiritual and physical, and shows us the difference... even in this example of fatherhood. God’s Word does so by telling us that our spiritual lesson is made eternal by our belief in Christ, but or earthly one is corruptible, and withered by time itself.
“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;”
1 Peter 1:18 KJV
So let’s ask ourselves again; “Do we characterize our relationship with God as one in which we fear Him?” Now that we understand the meaning of this expression, “fearing God”, I hope we can all say yes, and sing together our affirmation of Him...
“Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.”
Psalms 33:8 KJV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for teaching us what it means to fear you, and giving us earthly fathers as a lesson towards that end. Help us Lord to understand our need to pray for your wisdom, and ask for the other characteristics that we respect so highly in you. You are awesome Lord, and worthy of our fear as we bow before you. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God for you are great in all things, and the focus of our respect and reverence. We love you Father with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and fear you in all things. Praised be your name for every lesson in your character that you teach us, especially those we witness in the earthly life of Jesus, and praised be your name for sending your Holy Spirit to lead us in our further understanding. You are merciful and good Lord, and through our obedience we are blessed immeasurably by you. By your grace which flows through Christ we are saved, and by out fear we are blessed. In judgement Father, find us pure in Christ, and made worthy by our fear of you, for eternity in your presence. Great are you Father, and all glory is yours forever, and evermore.
“And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,”
Deuteronomy 10:12 KJV
Rich Forbes