REJOICE IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD!

"Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised"  (Proverbs 31:30).

If God is love and compassion, why does one need to rejoice in the fear of the Lord? One fears a cruel and oppressive ruler. Does this describe God? These are questions one may ask concerning the fear of the Lord.

Certainly, God is not cruel or oppressive! Since there is no doubt about God's love and compassion, we can also understand God is fair and just. Therefore God will never change what He has said in His word, the Holy Bible.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" (James 1:17).

In Hebrews 1:10-12 we are reminded the earth and the heavens are the work of the Lord; that the Lord is the same and His years will not fail.

What rejoicing because of this fact that the Lord God will never change! Therefore, neither His promises, nor His commandments will change!

A part of obeying His commandments is this: we must fear the Lord.

The proper fear of the Lord involves respect, reverence, awe. It also involves understanding that when we do wrong (when we sin), God has the right and the power to punish us. So we must understand, not only His great love for us, but also His power.

This godly fear causes us to understand how love and obedience are joined together.

1 John 5:3, "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome."

Hebrews 12:28, "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear."

Ecclesiastes 12:13, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all."

Rejoice in the fear of the Lord as you rejoice in keeping His commandments!