Fear. Say the word and our minds tend to go immediately to something…well…we are afraid of. We go to that movie that scared the heebie jeebies out of us. Or we think of an event that truly scared us and we have never been the same.

I used to watch scary movies until…until I was scared spitless. I cannot remember how old I was-maybe 14 or 15- when I went to a matinee with a friend. After the first two movies he had to leave but I decided to stay. Bad move. When it was over I was terrified. The two moves were The Curse of Dracula and The Horror of Frankenstein. I rode the bus home that night and was constantly looking around and over my shoulder for someone sneaking up on me. When I got home I would not open a door without first reaching around the corner and slapping the wall…just in case someone was  lying in wait. That was the end of my watching horror films and I have not seen another one to this day.

Fear is seen in terror or even paralyzing actions. But in Proverbs 14:27 we find it used another way: “Fear of the Lord is a life-giving fountain…” The fear of the Lord is not a terror or being afraid of some one or some thing, especially God. Fear of the Lord can better be seen as a healthy respect for Him. Being in awe and reverence. In Proverbs 1:7 we are told “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge.” We are told elsewhere that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

So when someone says, “Fear God” they are not telling you to be afraid of Him. They are saying to have a healthy respect for Him, to reverence Him, to stand in awe of Him. Do you have a healthy respect for God? 

{Note: All Scripture is from the New Living Translation}