King Solomon spent his entire life pursuing happiness in every form. In the end he concluded that the most important principles of life were to, "Fear God, and keep His commandments..." (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
What does it mean to fear God? Does it mean that God wants us to cower in terror when we come before Him in prayer? Does it mean that we are to live in constant anxiety that God is waiting for us to slip up so that He can punish us?
Points to build on
As human beings, we naturally fear anything that is physically or emotionally threatening. We also tend to fear anything that is greater than us or different from ourselves.
Human beings can develop irrational fears. Irrational fear can grow until it controls your life with unreasonable thoughts and emotions. Psychologists call these fears phobias. Some common phobias are: acrophobia--fear of high places; claustrophobia--fear of closed places; fear of crowds; xenophobia--fear of strangers and fear of animals.
There are literally hundreds of phobias people suffer from including "school phobia", fear of water, fear of the dark, etc. These aren't emotions based on normal respect for danger, but overwhelming emotions of anxiety and irrational fear. Some people have become so overwhelmed by a fear of the dangers and challenges of everyday life that they lock themselves in their homes and refuse to leave.
Some have a phobic fear of God. They feel that God is vengeful, just waiting for them to sin so He can punish them. Although the proper fear of God is predicated on His great majesty and power, it isn't an irrational phobia.
In Matthew 15:14-30 Jesus told the Parable of the Talents. He told the story of a master who gave different responsibilities to three servants and then went away for a period of time. When the master returned, he found that two of the servants had done well but the third had hidden his talent because of fear and laziness. The master rewarded the two profitable servants but punished the unprofitable one.
If fear of punishment is your only motivation for obedience, then you will fail to develop a healthy relationship with God as your loving Father. The proper fear of God is based upon an overwhelming awe and reverence of His righteousness, holiness, creative genius, love, mercy, and His eternity. We should be in wonder of His transcendent qualities to possess all power and knowledge, and His ability to interact with His creation.
It is also a realization of the destructive results of sin, which is defined by God's law. Solomon sums up this understanding in Proverbs 8:13:; "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil..."
Application
The proper fear of God is almost non-existent in today's society. Because of this lack of awe and respect for our Creator, people's lives are filled with all kinds of fears, anxieties, and phobias. God desires us to experience a life of peace, not one filled with irrational fear.
Various proverbs stress the importance of the proper fear of God:
Proverbs 15:33: The fear of God is the foundation of wisdom.
Proverbs 22:4: Through the fear of God a person receives riches, honor, and life.
Proverbs 1:7; 9:10: It is the beginning of knowledge.
Proverbs 10:27; 14:27: It prolongs life.
Proverbs 19:23: It makes life more abundant.
Proverbs 16:6: By it men depart from evil.
Proverbs 14:26: It is strong confidence.
Dedicate your life to learning a proper fear of God. Study His word, explore His creation, meditate on His instructions, learn to hate evil, and live a life founded on the reverence, awe, and respect for the Creator.
Gary Petty is a 1978 graduate of Ambassador College with a BS in mass communications. He worked for six years in radio in Pennsylvania and Texas. He was ordained a minister in 1984 and has served congregations in Longview and Houston Texas; Rockford, Illinois; Janesville and Beloit, Wisconsin; and San Antonio, Austin and Waco, Texas. He presently pastors United Church of God congregations in Nashville, Murfreesboro and Jackson, Tennessee.
Gary says he's "excited to be a part of preaching the good news of God's Kingdom over the airwaves," and "trusts the material presented will make a helpful difference in people's lives, bringing them closer to a relationship with their heavenly Father."
