The Fear of the Lord

“Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him.” (Psalm 33:8)

What is the fear of the LORD?  I often hear people explain the fear of the Lord as mere respect or reverence.  We are without a doubt to be in reverence of Him, but I think there is an element of fright involved as well.  The Bible uses the word fear at least 300 times in reference to God, so we should not make the mistake of downplaying it.  If you are a “born again believer” fear is reverence of God.  A good example of this is found in Hebrews 12:28-29 where we are told, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.”

If we knew that all our thoughts, words, and actions would be displayed so that everyone could watch and evaluate them, it would make a profound difference in the way we live!  We have an inherent concern about what others think of us.  If we have this much concern over what people think of us and our actions, how much more should we be concerned about God’s evaluation of our thoughts, words, actions, and attitudes?  Jesus reminds us, “For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.” (Luke 8:17) 

Ultimately, each of us will give an account of our lives to God, and He is fully aware of everything we think, speak, and do.  The fear of the Lord is an awareness of these truths.  It can be defined as a constant awareness that you are in the presence of a holy, just, and almighty God, and that every thought, word, and action is open before Him and will be judged by Him.  In Hebrews 12 we read a description of God’s discipline of the believer. (See vs. 5-11)  Even though it is done in love it is still a fearful thing. (See Hebrews 12:6)  Growing up, my parents were firm believers in discipline.  And I am quite sure that fear of spankings kept me from violating many of my parent’s rules in the home.  The same should be true in our relationship with God.  We should fear His discipline, and consequently seek to live our lives in such a way that pleases Him.

The fear of the Lord is critical to living a contented and satisfying life. The decision to live a holy life that is ordered around a reverence for God is a decision that we must make as individuals.  No one can do it for us.  So what will your decision be?  Let’s choose to fear the Lord and pray like the psalmist David, “Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” (Psalm 86:11)

 

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