Psalms Chapter 85
Do You Fear God?
The psalmist declares to God how he has showed favor to his people, restored their fortunes, forgave their iniquities, covered all their sins, and set aside his wrath and anger. He remembers how the Lord has done all these things and now God’s people have turned their hearts away from the Lord. And now the psalmist cries out to God for restoration once again.
The psalmist mentions three steps towards true restoration:
1. Fear God.
2. Turn from sin.
3. Walk faithfully with the Lord.
Do you fear God? I’m not talking about a fear that produces anxiety because you’re afraid that if you mess up one time that God’s wrath is waiting to crush you.
Living in Fear of God should never cause us to feel that if we make one wrong move that God is waiting and ready to crush us with his judgment. Such fear doesn’t see God’s love, forgiveness, grace, and mercy. Such fear lacks a love relationship. If a woman lives with this type of fear with her husband, then she lives with a man that is controlling her with a rod, a horrible temper and anger. And he rules with his back hand. That’s not love and that’s not our God.
Living in Fear of God should never cause us to forget that if we do sin that God is patiently and lovingly waiting for us to return to him in repentance motivated by our love for him.
There is a time when the true Fear of God must kick in. It’s when our love quits pursuing God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. It’s when sin becomes our pleasure and we no longer desire to repent or turn from our sins. We consciously choose to live a life without the Lord. Understand, that even then, God’s love has never left us. But because we have chosen a life without him, his judgment and wrath is knocking on our doorstep. Now the Fear of God and the wrath that awaits us, should awaken us and drive us so that we turn to God in repentance and for forgiveness. Then the Lord God, driven by his love and mercy, will forgive us our sins and restore us into that love relationship that he wants. Then may we walk faithfully with the Lord our God.
