The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes his covenant known to them. Psalm 25:14

The Lord is friends with only those who fear Him? Can’t be! Yet, there are 132 references, in some form or another, to “the fear of the Lord” in the Bible. What does that mean?

I grew up believing that God is to be feared and that he isn’t accessible to a sinner like me. Truth be told, fear isn’t exactly a word that brings peace and comfort. So, if that word is attached to God, what else would I think? God is someone to be feared; God is a distant entity that doesn’t have time for me.

Somewhere in my teens, God became a little closer, but fear was still very evident. I’d try my best, but I would still fall short. It was much later, as an adult, when I became more familiar with the Bible, that I began to realize what that word was intended to mean. “Fear” was more about respect and awe than panic and apprehension. And the dictionary actually gives an antonym: assurance. Now that’s more like it. And years later a retreat experience taught me about the love of God.

Take these words to heart: God…loves…you. You can do nothing to earn His love, and you can do nothing to make him turn His back on you. You only need to acknowledge His presence, and follow His lead, and He will become your best friend forever.