In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared;he is more awesome than all who surround him. (Ps 89:7)
Fear of God is not to be confused with being afraid of God. We "feared" our parents when we were young because they made the rules and they could dish out the punishment for breaking them! We were expected to act and behave a certain way in public, had chores at home and were required to take a bath every night. If we didn't do these things, we knew we were in trouble. In spite of their rules (especially the ones we thought were dumb) - we loved them! They took care of us!
The same is true for our Father in heaven. He makes the rules and tells us what he expects from us. We know that if we step over that invisible line or push the envelope, we're in big trouble! Fear of God comes from loving him and not wanting to disappoint him. As with our human parents, we want only to please him and do what he asks.
Challenges and road blocks, combined with temptations and distractions often keep us from reaching our full potential as Christians. God continues to call out to us and request our presence at his table. He's a very patient God. He loves us very much!
Spend some time today loving him back. Reach out to him through someone else who is not as fortunate as you are. Share what you know of him with a stranger if you can! Let the world see that God lives within you! Don't be afraid - God loves you!
