A Healthy Respect For God's Holiness

2 Chronicles 19:9-10---And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the LORD, faithfully, and with a perfect heart. And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the LORD, and so wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and ye shall not trespass.

Jehoshaphat appointed judges according to the Law of God and ordered them to act in the fear of God, not taking bribes, and to always be impartial. He warned them that they were not judging for men but for God who placed them in their positions. We could say the same for any Christian in any activity. We should all do our work in the fear of God, knowing that we represent Him and not ourselves. Then Jehoshaphat gave them the instructions in our text for today. Serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the LORD. Whatever work we are called to we, too, should serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the LORD. Is that how you would describe your work ethic? If it is, God is glorified in your work. The fear of the LORD is rarely mentioned today. The judges were supposed to make judgments in the fear of the LORD and to warn people that the wrath of God would come upon those who sin against the LORD. The fear of the LORD and His judgments were motivating factors of that day. Because we have a greater revelation of the love of God, should the fear of the LORD motivate us any less? I believe they should go hand in hand. As we read of kings whose hearts turned away from God and faced defeat and disease, we should recognize that it is love that brings wrath for the purpose of turning us. We should do all things in the fear of the LORD. That is having a healthy respect for His holiness and His Fatherly love.