"Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
who delights greatly in His commandments."
Psalm 112:1
A minister was talking to a man about his relationship with God. The man got upset with the minister and said, "You preachers try to put fear into people, but you can't do that to me." The minister said, "You're right about one thing. I can't put the fear of God into any one's heart. Only God can do that." God doesn't want us to fear Him in a way to be afraid of Him. The biblical concept of fearing God is having reverence for Him. It's like a child who respects his dad. God our Father wants us to know His love. He also wants us to reverence Him.
In Bible days, Gentiles who feared the God of Abraham, Isaac and, Jacob, were known as "God-fearers." They had reverence for God, worshipped Him, and prayed to Him. A sure sign that people are in a covenant relationship with God is that they fear Him. God says, "I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good, but I will put my fear in their hearts so they will not depart from me" (Jeremiah 32:40). The fear or reverence for God is a sure sign that He is working in our lives.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is received by those who fear or reverence God. Left to ourselves, none of us would fear nor reverence God. It is a sign of sin's depravity working in those who reject God. "There is no fear of God before their eyes" (Psalm 36:1; Romans 3:18). Who fears the LORD? Those who enter an everlasting covenant with God confirmed through His Son.
God, thank You for working fear as reverence in our hearts to enter the everlasting covenant through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
