What does it mean to fear God?

Deut10:12  And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

God had showed great favour to Israel; what return did He require? What does God require of us? The answer is found in Deuteronomy 10:12, the verse quoted above.

1.     THAT WE FEAR HIM.

What does it mean to fear God? We tend to fear when we stand before king, judge, men in authority, even our bosses. That’s not the kind of fear God wants from us. God is not a monster that we tremble and fear and dare not go near. The “fear” that brings God pleasure is not our being afraid of Him, but our having a high and exalted, reverential view of Him. It is having a sense of awe and respect for the majesty of God: “Let all the earth FEAR the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world STAND IN AWE OF HIM!” (Ps 33.8).

Only when a person possesses such reverential fear for God, will he know how he ought to behave when he comes before His presence for to worship. He does not need to be reminded how he ought to behave during worship. He who fears God knows exactly what he must do and not do when he is in worship (John 4:24).

2.     THAT WE WALK IN ALL HIS WAYS.

To walk in ALL His ways means that we keep ALL His commandments and statues (verse 13). We are to walk in God’s ways, not our own, nor in the ways of the people of the land: “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 16:25).

To keep His commandments means to obey them. We are not obedient children of God until we have obeyed all His commandments: “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). Let us not just love His word but obey it.

3.     THAT WE LOVE HIM.

How should we love God? Answer: With EVERYTHING: “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength” (Mark 12:30). Simply put, to love God is to put Him first place in our lives. It’s an undivided love. It is not a “torn between two lovers” kind of love (Matthew 6:24). There is only one love – GOD. God is our priority.

If we love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, then we won’t allow other things to crowd in. We won’t allow our worldly cares and possession to come in between us and God (1 John 2:15). We won’t even also other relationship to crowd in. Our Lord says: “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37).

4.     THAT WE SERVE HIM.

To love God is to serve Him (Matthew 4:10). Our Lord says: “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). We are to serve with love, that is, out from a willing heart and love for God. Serving God out of a sense of obligation or duty, apart from love for God, is not what He desires. Rather, serving God should be our natural, love-filled response to Him who loved us first: “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men” (Colossians 3:23).

What does the Lord require from us? That we Fear, Walk, Love, and Serve Him. Are you fulfilling your duties to Him? Think about it!

Jimmy Lau

Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.