What does the Lord . . . ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve [him] . . . with all your heart and . . . soul . . . ?   Deuteronomy 10:12

The word fear is used in the Bible mainly to convey that we should revere and honor God because of who he is—his holiness, majesty, purity, and perfection—recognizing that God is good and righteous in all his ways and in all that he does. The fear of the Lord expresses our awareness of God’s presence in our life. It affects every area of our life, our communion with him, our behavior, and our relationships. There are things we are less likely to do because we fear the Lord, not because we are afraid of what God might do, but because we love, respect, and honor him. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10).

Almighty God, I revere and honor you with all my heart and all my soul, now and always. In Jesus, Amen.