"Fear Can Be Good For Us (And We Know it). Today, we talk about “healthy fear” being a useful tool for our making wise choices. For instance, we buckle our seat belts because we fear what might happen to our body in a car accident. And young men protect their girlfriends while out on dates, because they fear how the fathers might react if they don’t return their daughters home safely. I’m sure you can think of other actions you take on a daily basis because of a perceived negative outcome.
Similarly, God wants to instill a sense of healthy fear in our hearts to keep us from making poor decisions contrary to His commandments. Because we believe His guidelines are for our good, our posture of submission and gratitude compels us to obey His voice. Our response has nothing to do with a damaged or unhealthy relationship between us and God. Any argument to the contrary ignores the moments of Scripture that clearly imply otherwise. Just a few examples:
Psalm 25:14 reminds us, “The Lord is a friend to those who fear Him.”
Psalm 103:17 says, “But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear Him.”
By the path opened to us through the blood of Christ, we can be close to God. Does this involve an element of fear? You bet! But at the same time, we affirm that it is good. Because God is good, and He loves us, we can trust Him. God’s power over the universe is so extraordinary that it’s scary. I would suggest that any person in his or her right mind would respond accordingly. Our response should one of reverence; our awe, obedience, and showing Him due honor and respect." Matthew Tingblad
