One of the things I love most about this little corner of the internet is that today’s reflection began with an honest question from one of you. A reader asked why anyone would fear a God we believe is loving, and that question became the essay you just read.
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Why on Earth Would I Fear God?
Fear of the Lord is not terror that sends us running away. It is awe, humility, and love that teach us how to draw near.
Last week, one of our readers posed a terrific question:
“Why do they say someone is a ‘God-fearing man’? Why would I fear God?”
I’ll never forget when I first encountered that same phrase. It simply did not compute.
I grew up in an idyllic parish. Lots of families, the best lay leaders you could find, dynamic priests. Even our grumpy visiting priest from China was supremely lovable.
I once wrote a parody song based on his homilies, set to the tune of Shania Twain’s “That Don’t Impress Me Much”:
You’ve got the brains, but do you go to church?
And don’t get me wrong, what you did is not right,
And you will go to Hell at the ending of your life.
You don’t impress-a me much.
Even at fourteen, I wasn’t quite right in the head.
Sorry, Father Liu.
Sorry, Shania Twain for that matter.
Anywho…
When I first heard this “fear of God” phrase, it made no sense to me.
Fear God?
God is the best! He made me. He gave me my family. He sent Jesus to be my brother. We’ve got this awesome church. Why would I ever fear Him?
When I meet Him, I’m going to give Him a huge hug!
To be honest, I still hope to.
But I’ve come to understand that the word fear has more than one meaning.
There is the fear you feel when you hear a strange noise downstairs at two in the morning. There is the fear of punishment, rejection, pain, or death.
But there is also the feeling you get when standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon. It’s beautiful. You want to draw closer, yet something inside you whispers, Pay attention. This is bigger than you. Much bigger.
That feeling contains wonder, respect, humility, and the overwhelming awareness that you are not in control.
That is much closer to what Scripture means by the “fear of the Lord.”
To fear God does not mean spending your life terrified that He is waiting to catch you doing something wrong. God is not an angry hall monitor hiding behind a celestial corner, hoping to write you up.
Fear of the Lord means recognizing God for who He is and recognizing ourselves for who we are.
He is God.
We are not.
Though some of us might think we are.
That sounds obvious, but almost every mess we make begins when we forget it.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” says the Book of Proverbs.
Notice that it says beginning, not end.
Fear of the Lord is where wisdom starts because it puts everything back into its proper order. God is the Creator; I am His creation. God knows the whole story; I can barely understand the chapter I’m currently in. God sees eternity; I struggle to remember where I left my keys.
This kind of fear is not about running away from God. It is about becoming humble enough to run toward Him.
The Catholic tradition sometimes distinguishes between servile fear and filial fear.
Servile fear is the fear of a servant who obeys only because he is afraid of being punished.
Filial fear is the concern of a son or daughter who loves a good father and does not want to damage that relationship.
Imagine a little boy admiring his dad. He wants to be like him. He trusts him. He runs into his arms when he gets home. But when his father speaks seriously, the boy listens, not because he believes his father is a monster, but because he knows his Daddy is his father.
Love and reverence are not enemies.
In fact, genuine love creates reverence.
If we truly love someone, we become careful with the relationship. We fear lying to them, betraying them, or causing them pain. This is not because we fear being crushed in response, but because what exists between us is precious.
That is filial fear.
I do not fear that God wants to hurt me. I fear becoming the kind of man who can no longer recognize His voice. I fear allowing selfishness, pride, resentment, or distraction to make me indifferent to the One who gave me everything.
I fear losing sight of God, even though God never loses sight of me.
This also helps make sense of another line in Scripture: “Perfect love casts out fear.”
At first, that seems like a contradiction. Are we supposed to fear God, or does perfect love eliminate fear?
Both.
Perfect love casts out the fear that makes us hide from God. It casts out the fear that tells us we are unwanted, unforgivable, or beyond redemption.
But love deepens the holy fear that makes us stand in awe of Him.
The more we know God, the less we fear Him as a threat, and the more we revere Him as The Father.
Perhaps “God-fearing man” sounds strange today because we have flattened God into one of two extremes. For some, He is an angry judge waiting to punish us. For others, He is a friendly motivational speaker who exists mainly to approve our plans.
But God is neither a tyrant nor Mickey Mouse.
He is a loving Father, and He is also the Almighty.
He knows every star by name. He spoke creation into being. He sees every hidden corner of our hearts, including the parts we hide from ourselves.
And still, He loves us.
That is not less awe-inspiring than judgment. It is more.
The astonishing thing is not that we should fear such a God. The astonishing thing is that this God invites us to call Him Abba, Father.
So, why on earth would I fear God?
Because He is God, and I am not.
Because His love is too precious to treat casually.
Because His goodness reveals how badly I need His assistance.
Because standing before infinite truth, beauty, justice, and love should leave every one of us trembling, at least a little.
And when I finally meet Him, I suspect both things will happen.
I will fall to my knees in awe.
Then, God willing, I’ll get that hug.
And hopefully He doesn’t remember my stupid Shania Twain song about poor old Fr. Liu.
And Now It’s Your Turn…
How did you first understand the phrase “fear of the Lord”? Did it make you want to draw closer to God, or did it make you want to hide from Him?
Tell me in the comments. And if there is another expression from Scripture or the Church that has never quite made sense to you, ask away. Your question may become one of our next reflections.
And if someone came to mind while you were reading this article, please feel free to share it with them.
And Let Us Pray…
Almighty and loving God,
free us from the fear that makes us hide from You.
When we imagine You waiting to condemn us, remind us of Your mercy. When pride convinces us that we are in control, restore in us the humility that is the beginning of wisdom.
Give us a holy fear: not the terror of servants expecting punishment, but the reverence of children who know that their Father is good, His love is precious, and His voice can be trusted.
Keep our hearts tender enough to recognize You, honest enough to repent, and brave enough to draw near.
May wonder replace indifference, humility replace pride, and perfect love cast out every fear that keeps us from Your arms.
Amen.
My friends, if this reflection helped you see the fear of the Lord differently, please consider supporting Message From the Margins.
A paid subscription provides the steady support that funds the writing, research, podcast, videos, prayer resources, and pastoral care behind this ministry.
If recurring support is not right for you, you can now make a one-time gift whenever you like and in whatever amount feels right.
And if contributing is not possible, I am equally grateful that you are here. Read, pray, comment, and share this with someone who may need it.
May God replace the fear that makes you hide with the holy awe that draws you closer.
Your Brother in Christ,
