The fear of the Lord keeps us close to the merciful heart of God. It is the reverential fear that causes man to bow and prostrate before God.

The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He makes known to them His covenant.       Psalm 25:14

The fear of the Lord is accompanied by a lot of blessings. The fear of the Lord is the fear of being out of touch and fellowship with God and delving into sin. Anyone who fears the Lord will not look for other ways to satisfy his longings and relieve anxieties, but rather wait and hope in God. Fear of God is the reverence and awe of God and it includes understanding how much God despises sin and dreading His judgement on sin. We should not be scared of God but be afraid of His discipline and try to live in a way pleasing to Him and also hold onto His promise that nothing can separate us from the love of God.

The fear of God motivates us to have a clear sense of the greatness of God and to be sorry for our sins. It helps us to avoid sin and temptation. The church helps us through this and we are encouraged to attend mass and examine our conscience regularly as well as taking part in the sacraments of penance. Isaiah 8:13 says “but the lord of hosts, Him you shall regard as holy, let Him be your fear and let Him be your dread”. And Psalm 33:18 says, “behold the eyes of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His steadfast love”. The reverential fear of the Lord helps to grow in love and become more like our creator – God.