Achilleion Palace, Corfu, Greece, 2012- former home of Empress Elizabeth of Austria (taken my Martha Wiggins)
“Happy are you who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways! For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; happy shall you be, and favored.” Psalm 128:1-2
Fear is a strong emotion. When we are truly fearful, we are not happy. And yet, the Psalm says those who fear the Lord are happy.
When we let fear guide our actions we generally act irrationally. It is the fear that controls us. Fear must be managed, and when managed, it is a helpful tool in our spiritual arsenal.
The Lord asks that we fear Him in a respectful way. Respectful fear stands in awe of Him, stands in awe of His majesty, His power, His authority. Respectful fear obeys knowing full well the outcome of not obeying. Respectful fear knows that it is in our best interest to obey Him.
The Psalm also says those who walk in the Lord’s ways, those who obey Him, will eat the fruits of their labor. They shall be happy and favored. There are benefits to be gained by living in respectful fear.
We do well to remember, however, that the door swings both ways. We reap the rewards of walking in His ways, and we live with the consequences of living in sin. It is a matter of fear, not irrational fear, but respectful fear.
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