RESPECT AND IT'S BENEFITS
PSALM 25:12-15 NKJV
12 Who is the man that fears the Lord?
Him shall He teach in the way He chooses.
13 He himself shall dwell in prosperity,
And his descendants shall inherit the earth.
14 The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him,
And He will show them His covenant.
15 My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
For He shall pluck my feet out of the net.
This is a psalm of David, a man who had a definite fear of God. Speaking from inspiration and experience, David spells out the benefits for those who respect the Lord.
Fear of God is a reverential respect for God. Not being afraid that one misstep and God will wipe you out. This fear contains an awe of God and a desire to please Him. I will not be able to do this subject justice in a short devotional, but it is a subject worth studying. The fear of God is not characterized by a casual attitude regarding God and His ways. And sad to say, my generation and those that follow have not had a revelation of this godly respect and esteem.
But we can change. The fear of God involves benefits that so many are looking for. The key to God's blessings is not seeking the blessings but rather seeking the One who blesses.
David describes six benefits of fearing God.
The person who fears God is taught by God. Someone who fears God is taught what he needs to know by God. We know that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to teach us and guide us into all truth. Our respect for God opens this door.
The person who fears God will live in prosperity. The word prosperity has gotten a bad rap over the last 30 years, but there is no getting away from its meaning. It's good. Literally good. The King James Version says his soul will dwell at ease. That's good. The Amplified translation says he will live in goodness and prosperity. Sounds like a good plan to me. And remember, this is for those who fear God.
His children will inherit the land. Meaning there will be good coming to my kids, grandkids, great-grandkids, and so on. That is a blessing.
The person who fears God gets in on God's secrets. I am not sure all that entails, but because God knows everything about everything, when He shares a secret, it's got to be good.
And God shows the person who fears Him the covenant. We have a covenant in Christ, but we have to know what is available before we can enjoy it. Having a respect for God and His ways helps to make the covenant even more realistic. There is a lot to this covenant we have with God. The more we see, the more we understand and receive the benefits.
The person who fears God is looking for God. And God shows up and pulls them out of trouble.
These are six good reasons to pursue developing in the fear of God.
PRAYER:
Dear Father teach me to have a fear and respect for You. And show me from Your word what a fear of You looks like and how I can respond better to you.