Fearing God

The phrase "Fear the Lord your God" is found in the Bible at least 27 times, most often as a command from God himself. It is important to understand that fearing God is a different type of fear than being afraid. The word "fear" as used in the Old Testament comes from the Hebrew word "yare, qal" meaning "to fear, revere, be afraid - to stand in awe of, awed, to fear, reverence, honor, respect" (Found in Strong's Concordance). When God says "Fear the Lord your God", it is a reminder to remember that in the midst of his goodness and his love, He is all-powerful, and has the capacity to do anything that He sees fit. Just because He is in control, however, doesn't mean he's going to lash out wrath upon the people He created. The thing about God that makes Him God, the reason that He is worth knowing and serving is that He has chosen to love the people of this earth despite the decisions we make and the selfish acts we perform.

I have struggled with this concept of "fearing the Lord" quite often. Someone recently asked me why I continue to seek a relationship with Jesus. I told him that originally, I wanted to know Christ more because I felt indebted to Him for his unconditional love and the sacrifice He made by taking my place of death (which I fully deserve, as does every other human who has sinned..). In response to his gift to me, I wanted to give my whole life to serving Him and telling others about His love. I sought Jesus because I feared God - that I needed to repay Him (and this wasn't the Fear of the Lord described in the Bible). It wasn't until I began going out of my comfort zone to tell others of Christ's love that I realized that the reason for seeking Christ has nothing to do with me at all. It is not because I am indebted to Him, nor is it because I want a relationship with Him. It is because of this utterly overwhelming love of Christ that I seek Him more. Once you have felt and accepted His love for what it is - nothing more, nothing less, you cannot help but want nothing but Him. And this is when the Fear of the Lord makes itself known - a pure reverence.