Purpose of the Fear of the Lord…

In an age where love is a verb and people, priests, pastors as well as politicians emphasize a loving God (or in the latter political sense love wins), the Almighty constantly reminds humanity to fear him.

It’s odd considering how much God loves people (a repeated theme in both the First Testament and the New Testament) but fortunately Jeremiah enlightens my mind as to why God desires humans to fear him.

And they shall be my people, and I will be their God:

And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:

And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. (Prophet Jeremiah, 32:38–40)

God ultimately wants what is best for me, even if I am willfully ignorant of that fact.

Although God showers me with love, mercy & grace, it ultimately is not enough to keep myself (as well as my fellow human beings) from embracing destructive behaviors.

Like a good cop patrolling the neighborhood in order to ensure that citizens make no attempt to rob stores of their merchandise, the fear of the Lord keeps saints in check when we are tempted to embrace wicked actions.

Selah…