I was in church recently, and our pastor preached a wonderful sermon which included a great definition of the fear of the Lord. I am convinced many people misunderstand what it means for a believer to fear the Lord. It is the only good kind of fear I know! Although this is not a comprehensive study of the fear of the Lord, I wanted to share my perspective.
The definition our pastor gave for the fear of the Lord is "an earnest desire to have God's approval." When he said this, I felt it! With every beat of my heart, this is how I try to live. As I live with the fear of the Lord in my life, I love the grace of God that protects me in my imperfection! I love living in the passion of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for the moments when I fail! Jesus loved me so much, He died a brutal death to be able to offer forgiveness and love in my weakest moments! I am forgiven in all of my failure! God does not expect me to be perfect. What a relief! I am loved no matter what! Each day, it is my desire to bless the Lord with "an earnest desire to have God's approval!"
I try not to live in fear of anyone aside from the Lord! No one in the world is worthy of my fear. No one else takes my best interests to heart. No one, aside from God, loves me at each moment. No person has the power to perform miracles in my life! No man or woman has the wisdom to direct my steps and guide me in living my life. Only Jesus has died for me--this makes Him, and Only Him, worthy of my fear!
Proverbs 9:10 says; "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." I love this verse because these concepts go hand-in-hand. The more I know God, the more I understand Him. And the more I understand Him, the more I am convinced of His love for me. Even in my worst moments, I am never separated from the love of God. God is love. So in every moment of my life, I feel loved! This is why I have an earnest desire to have God's approval! He has won me over by His love. I trust that living my life according to God's plan is far greater than living my life according to my plan! His way leads to peace and joy while my way leads to emptiness and confusion. Believe me... I have tried both ways.
So as I live my life, I do the things which are pleasing to God. If I am not sure about something, I check with Him before I act. This has led me to a life filled with wisdom and actions that have brought blessings to me and my loved ones. The fear of the Lord is not the same thing as terror for those who believe! The fear of the Lord brings protection, fulfillment, and freedom! A life lived to the fullest! A life filled with the love of God! In the fear of the Lord, I have found a rich and satisfying life!
John 10:10- Jesus said; "...My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life."
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