one eats and sleeps free from any harm. (Proverbs 19:23 NABRE)
Yesterday, we read in Ecclesiastes that wisdom is the singular matter of fearing God's judgment and keeping his commandments.* Today, we see the reason why it matters. By fearing the Lord, we benefit in this life and in the next. So what is fear of the Lord? Here are some useful explanations of this life-giving attitude:
Fear of the Lord is said to be the beginning of Wisdom (Proverbs 1:7).
Fear of the Lord is one of the Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.* It "fills us with a sovereign respect for God, and makes us dread, above all things, to offend Him."*
For the believer, fear is reverence and awe of God. It is the motivating force for us to surrender to the creator of the universe. Fear of the Lord includes understanding who God is--that he is holy, just and righteous, and how much God hates sin and fearing his judgment on sin--even in the life of a believer. And so, we should seek to live our lives in such a way that pleases him.*
Fearing God means having such a reverence for Him that it has a great impact on the way we live our lives. The fear of God is respecting Him, obeying Him, submitting to His discipline, and worshipping Him in awe.*
Fearing God is good because it saves us from caving into our own sinful nature.*
Today, I will meditate on the reverence and awe I have for the Lord, I will evaluate how it affects my choices, and I will change whatever I learn needs changing.
Saint Paul of the Cross, devoted to spreading among the faithful the memory of Christ's passion, pray for us.
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