by Dr. Paul Chappell

"O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether."

Psalm 139:1-4

Live not out of fear of punishment, but out of love so deep that it guides your steps and orders your actions.

Consider the following story I once read about the fear of the Lord:

One time many years ago, the king of Hungary found himself depressed and unhappy. He sent for his brother, a good-natured but rather indifferent prince. The king said to him, "I am a great sinner; I fear to meet God." But the prince only laughed at him. This didn't help the king's disposition any. Though he was a believer, the king had gotten a glimpse of his guilt for the way he'd been living lately, and he seriously wanted help. In those days it was customary if the executioner sounded a trumpet before a man's door at any hour, it was a signal that he was to be led to his execution. The king sent the executioner in the dead of night to sound the fateful blast at his brother's door. The prince realized with horror what was happening. Quickly dressing, he stepped to the door and was seized by the executioner, and dragged pale and trembling into the king's presence. In an agony of terror he fell on his knees before his brother and begged to know how he had offended him. "My brother," answered the king, "if the sight of a human executioner is so terrible to you, shall not I, having grievously offended God, fear to be brought before the judgment seat of Christ?" (Walk through Rewards)

The fear of God is often misunderstood by unsaved people today. Most view Him as an overbearing father figure reigning down commands to His children, forcing their obedience or punishing them. But the fear of God is something completely different.

God is our heavenly Father, and although some people have not had a good example of a father, God is a good Father. More than a list of commands and forced obedience, God gives us something more. He gives us love and grace.

Sadly, some Christians live in fear of God, fearing the wrath of God for any disobedience. But our motivation for serving God and living for Him shouldn't be fear of mistake or punishment. We should live to please God out of love for Him.

Think of the Psalmist's words: "O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether." God knows us inside and out. There's nothing we've said, thought, or done that He doesn't know. And yet, He still loves us. He offers us forgiveness for those times we've sinned against Him and gives us a new start each time we repent. God's love overshadows our sin.

Living with a healthy fear of God is vital to the Christian life, for God is a great and powerful God worthy of our respect. But more than simply living in fear of Him, God desires that we would live for Him out of love. Like a husband who loves his wife and seeks to please her, God desires that we would live to please Him.

What's your motivation for living for Christ? Are you living in fear of His judgment or punishment? Christian, Jesus has already paid for your sins on Calvary. God's justice has been satisfied. Don't live out of fear, but out of a love so deep that it guides your steps and orders your actions. Your loving heavenly Father wants you to enjoy your relationship with Him and enjoy living for Him each day.

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Daily Bible Reading
Ezra 3-5 | John 20