All through the Bible, we’re told to fear God. And we instinctively flinch when we read it. Fear is a negative thing, right? Why would anyone want to draw near to a God who only wants to instill fear in us?
Well, there’s a difference between fearing God and being in fear of God. There are two principles from the Psalms that help us see the difference.
1. Fearing God means appreciating his forgiveness.
“With you there is forgiveness that you may be feared.” (Psalm 130:4)
Maybe you were expecting the Psalm to say, “With you, there is forgiveness, that you may be loved and appreciated.” Or maybe it should be the opposite: “With you there is holiness and wrath, that you may be feared.”
But this verse is giving us a completely different way of thinking about our relationship with God than what we assumed. No, God isn’t your homeboy. He’s not your co-pilot. He’s to be feared, respected, and revered.
But that’s not going to happen merely because of his power and judgment. It only happens when we experience his forgiveness. We’re horrified at the wrath we should have received for our sin, and floored by the grace he gave us instead through the death and resurrection of Jesus.
As John Piper says, “If you are running from God because you are afraid of him, then you are not yet as afraid as you ought to be. In fact, your very flight is a mockery of God, presuming to think that you could outrun a German shepherd. If you really fear him and love your own life, stop running, turn around, and hug his neck for dear life, and he will lick your face.”
2. Fearing God means walking in his ways.
“Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways!” (Psalm 128:1).
This Psalm says the happiest people in the world are the ones who walk in God’s ways. That’s how it defines fearing God.
That’s how you get where you really want to go in life. That’s how you find happiness, security, and contentment in life. Clinging to God and following his ways, even if they don’t always make sense.
It’s kind of like getting from Kaka‘ako to Sand Island. It’s really not that far. Sand Island is 300 yards across the harbor. But if you want to walk there, you need to take Nimitz Highway all the way through downtown, Chinatown, and Kalihi, then loop back around on Sand Island Access Road. That’s a long walk!
You could say, “I really don’t want to walk that far. I’m just going to swim there.” Sure, try that. You’ll be dodging container ships, Coast Guard cutters, and booze-cruise boats the whole way.
That long, slow route is a blessing. It might take you a long time to walk the whole way, but guess what? You’ll be alive when you get there. God’s ways are a blessing too.
The best path to get where you really want to go in life is to find rest in his forgiveness, and to find freedom in his ways.
That’s what it means to fear God.