"An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked;
there is no fear of God before his eyes."
Psalm 36:1
The man was very upset with his stepson. He screamed at him, "Boy, I'm going to put the fear of God in you." The stepson got away from him as soon as possible. The man not only had the wrong attitude, but he had the wrong understanding of God. The fear of God is not an uncontrollable emotion on the Lord's part. The fear of God is man's response to God with reverence and holy respect. Those who really fear God hold Him in the highest reverence. The fear of God does not repel us from God. It actually draws us to God.
The apostle Paul quotes part of Psalm 36:1 in Romans 3:18 as he describes the depravity of man. Those who have no fear of God become reprobates. When God begins a work of grace in our hearts, we begin to experience the fear of God drawing us to Him (Acts 10:34-35).
Those who are in a personal covenant relationship with God know what it means to reverence Him. "And 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 that they will not depart from Me" (Jeremiah 32:40).
Do you fear God? That is to ask, do you reverence God and hold Him in awe? If you do, then thank God that He is working in your heart. Man left in his sin and rebellion against God develops a reprobate mind. He wants no thought of God (Romans 1:28). The fear of God is a gift of God's grace. In the old hymn, "Amazing Grace," John Newton wrote, "It was grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved."
Lord, we praise You for the holy fear that You have put in our hearts.
