Respect I understand, But FEAR God?

We tend to think of God as just another person, but he isn’t. He is God, the one and only, the holy, powerful, and awesome God.

In the bible it says to fear God. I have always wondered what does that mean? How do I fear God? I love him. But do I really truly respect Him in the way that He would want me to? I don’t use His name in vain. I don’t disrespect Him by saying bad things about Him. I study his word, follow it, and try to be more like Him (Matthew 5:48). I believe in Him. I have faith in Him. But exactly how do I fear God, and more importantly, why should I be afraid of Him?

God isn’t a just a person and we shouldn’t try to put Him on our level or think of Him like just another person. He’s our friend and our Father but He is so much more than what an earthly friend or father would be. Not to mention that in today’s society, we don’t even give most people the respect that they deserve, and then we try to bring God down on our level, as just another friend, without giving Him the respect and glory He deserves. We think of only ourselves, expecting Him to be there for us when we need Him, just like we expect from our friends of the world. We expect him to provide for us, just as we expect form our earthly father, mother, or our family. We just expect Him to take care of us because we think we deserve it. We don’t deserve God’s love; he only gives it as a gift. We should humble ourselves and realize that we don’t deserve it. And for the sins we have committed, and the wrongs we have committed against God, what we actually deserve is to spend eternity in hell. But since God loves us so much, He gives us a gift, a very special one, a second chance, a chance to be with Him in the kingdom of heaven. And He will even forgive the sins we have committed and completely forget about them. Can you say that about any of your earthly friends? And I haven’t even mentioned all the other gifts and blessings that He gives us throughout our lives here on earth and all the more gifts and blessings He will give us in heaven. We don’t deserve even one of them.

How do I fear God, and why? Good question. I have an answer. Imagine God. Not just as you do in prayer or devotion but imagine Him as a being as he sometimes presented himself in the Old Testament. He was awesome in every extent of the word. (Definition of Awe: an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear or wonder produced by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful, etc. i.e.: GOD!) Imagine if you heard His voice with your two ears, or actually saw Him with your own two eyes, standing in front of you. So grand and glorious, bright and beautiful, marvelous and breathtaking. I would be scared. I would certainly fear God then. He is all-powerful and can do anything He wants to. He could strike me dead, He could send me straight into hell, discipline me in any way He felt necessary, He could do whatever He wanted to me, and I would surely deserve it. Even as one whom many people might have, by observance, called a “good person”, I have sinned against God excessively throughout my life. He has every right to be angry with me and in His anger He could strike me dead right here and now and not accept me into His kingdom, and He probably should. But instead, He takes me in His arms and forgives me, and I love Him for that! But I still fear Him for what He is, who He is, how powerful He is, and because He is God, the one and only.