Psalm 34:1-10 says this, “I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together! I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.”
This Psalm was sung by David while he hid in a cave running from Saul. If you noticed, he used the word fear, a lot in his song. What I want to point out is verse nine where he says, “Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him.” What is fear? We take fear to mean scared of but fear here means reverence; as in respect. What David is saying, when we respect God, we want for nothing. See, when you have respect for a person, you will not intentionally do anything to hurt them. When you respect someone, you will not purposely set out to cause them pain. When you respect someone, they are often who you think about before you do something out of character. And respect isn’t something that goes away.
Sure, we sometimes lack it, but it doesn’t go away. For me, I’m a 42-year-old who still respects my husband, parents, grandparents, elders, family, friends and those in authority. Even when I’m standing face to face with someone who doesn’t deserve it, I still give it. Why? It’s about me and not them. When it comes to serving God, I give Him the same respect because I chose to follow Him and say yes.
Look, God doesn’t want us to be afraid, but He desires that we reverence Him. See, when we serve out of fear, we do so from a place bondage and control and this isn’t the God we serve. And, why would God need to control us by fear when serving Him is a choice we make? To fear God is to respect Him because if we respect Him, we will not do anything deliberately to hurt Him. When we fear God, we serve willingly and not reluctantly. When we fear God, properly, His word tells me, “fear the LORD, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need.” In other words, when I respect God, I shall lack for nothing.
Lakisha, the Author 