What Does It Mean to Fear God?

Hey Carpool Crew, welcome back to Questions from the Backseat. Today's question is one I think a lot of people have wondered: What does it mean to fear God if He loves me? That's such a good question. And if you've been walking through Proverbs with us this month, you've probably noticed that phrase a lot: fear the Lord. So what does it mean? Fearing God doesn't mean you're terrified of Him or trying to hide from Him. It means you know who God is, you take Him seriously, and that changes how you live. Psalm 25:14 says, "The secret counsel of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he reveals his covenant to them." I love that because look at what fear of the Lord leads to: closeness with God. Knowing Him. Listening to Him. Trusting Him. Here's one way to think about it. Have you ever stood at the edge of the ocean and looked out? It's huge. It's powerful. And for a second, you realize just how small you are. You're not necessarily scared of the ocean. But you respect its power. You don't treat it like a puddle. Now God is obviously way bigger and greater than an ocean. But that's closer to what the Bible means when it talks about fearing God. God is God. He made you. He loves you. He knows what's best for you. And when you really believe that, you don't just shrug at what He says. You listen. You trust Him. And when He says something is right, you take it seriously. So here's your One Thing today: **Fearing God means taking Him seriously because you know who He is.** And here's something you can try. Before you make a decision today, stop for just a second and ask: **What would God want me to do here?** Then trust Him enough to do it. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. And if you've got a question rattling around in your head, ask a grown-up to help you send it to us at carpoolingwithjesus.com slash ask. Yours might be the one we answer next.