The Fear of God Is NOT "Respect"

My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the LORD, have spoken! “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word. [Isaiah 66.2]

So, the fear of God does not mean be afraid? Think again! Isaiah quoted God Himself and He said He would bless those ...who tremble at His word. So what is trembling if it is not fear? How many people have you trembled at that you 'respected'?

Jesus would not have told us to fear the One Who can destroy both body and soul in hell if He simply meant respect. For us to think that Jesus meant 'respect' the One Who can destroy both body and soul in hell is to have no comprehension whatsoever of hell and the eternal torment found there.

God is to be feared! With one turn of His head, our lives can be consumed with every curse written in the Bible on those who disobey. And, while we are discussing this, it is worth saying that even with God looking at us, it is only as He sees us in Christ Jesus His Son are we spared all the curses anyway! He cannot look upon us except as we are covered by the atoning blood of Jesus!

What's my point then? The point is 'respect' is something peers have for one another. Fear is something a subordinate has for his superior. And, to support this, it must be considered that God said He would bless those who have humble and contrite hearts. It is a humble and contrite heart that trembles at God's word!

We could all stand to kneel on our faces a little more before our Father. No other position before God truly conveys humility, contrition, and fear. Kneeling before God is a good practice! Kneeling before God disarms our pride.

Frankly, in our modern culture, "respect" is something two thugs have for each other.

We need to think about this. I need to think about this.

Father, forgive me for all the pride I have had toward You. Forgive me for the pride that I have not come to realize yet in me. I want to humble myself before You. I want to be truly repentant and reliant only upon You as Your salvation is my only hope.