Fear is a good thing

One of my boys some time ago was complaining about our pastor’s sermons.
He said that he too often dwelled on the fear of God and my son wanted a little more emphasis on the loving side of God. This conversation has stuck with me for several months now. There are numerous places in the Bible that I have found where the Bible instructs us to fear God. I’m wondering why? Why does God want us to fear Him? And He does instruct just that:
Always act in the fear of the Lord – 2 Chron.19:9 Angel of the Lord guards all who fear Him – Psalm 34:7 Be sure to fear the Lord – 1 Sam 12:24 Beginning of knowledge and wisdom is fear of the Lord – Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 1:7, 9:10 Do not fear anything except the Lord – Isaiah 8:13 Fear the Lord alone – Duet. 13:4 Fear the Lord and obey His commands – Duet. 5:29, Ecc. 12:13 Fear the Lord and serve Him – Duet. 6:13 Fear the Lord as long as you live – Duet. 6:2 Fear the Lord and turn your back on evil – Pro. 3:7, 16:6 God accepts those who fear Him – Acts 10:34,35 God blesses those who fear Him – Psalm 115:13 God fulfills desires of those who fear Him – Psalm 145:19 God’s mercy goes out to those who fear Him – Luke 1:50 Happy are those who fear the Lord – Psalm 112:1 Fear of the Lord is true wisdom – Job 28:28, Proverbs 15:33 Fear of the Lord leads to riches, honor and long life – Pro. 10:27, 22:4

Yes I would say that God wants us to fear Him and the question is why?
I believe that it is for our own good. Often when God instructs us to fear Him in the foregoing passages, it is coupled with: “and obey my
commandments”. I try to think of myself as a loving father and I
definitely want my children to love me too. When they were young my children definitely feared me when it came to obeying my commandments.
They knew that I loved them, and they knew they better act right or else… Their Mother on the other hand, got little respect. If they didn’t act right around her, they heard threats followed by little or no action. I think that is what is wrong in many single parent homes that end up producing rebellious uncontrollable children. The children do not fear a consequence for their actions. The mother cannot control the children as well as the father can, because they do not fear their mother.. I think back when I was young. I reached my full height of six feet by the time I was 12-13 years old. My Mother was about five feet tall. I remember her trying to whip me with a belt one time, and I just stood there laughing hysterically at her. My father on the other hand was not very tall either, 5′ 8″, but he used a two x four to get my attention. I did not laugh at him too much when he had a two x four in his hand.

I suppose if we did not fear and respect God, we probably would not pay much attention to His commandments. In one passage of the Bible, we are told not to fear someone who can take away our life on this earth, but rather fear God who can take away our life as well as affect our souls for eternity. If we do not obey His commands and accept His Son Jesus, we will be eternally separated from Him. He does not want that to happen because He loves us with all of His heart. Basically the beginning of wisdom is the fear of God, it results in a deeply serious attitude towards the commands of God. I believe Solomon had it right many centuries ago when he summed it up like this:

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Ecc. 12:13
Fear God and keep His
commandments,
For this is man’s all.
For God will bring every work
into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good of evil.