What Does It Mean to Fear God?

To fear the Lord does not mean a life of perpetual trembling and emotional insecurity.

It rather refers to the reverence and awe that stem from the recognition of the unfathomable greatness, holiness, and infinity of God on the one hand and our smallness, sinfulness, and finitude on the other.

To fear God is a constant awareness of the magnitude of His demands, a recognition that He is not only our heavenly Father but also our Divine King. Such awareness will lead to a life of obedience to God.

A faithful person is somebody who is dependable and trustworthy.

Basically, Joshua is asking Israel to demonstrate the same loyalty to God that God has displayed toward His people in the course of their history. It is not merely outward compliance to His requirements but what springs from an undivided inner consistency of the heart. Their lives should reflect gratefulness to God for what He has done for them. Basically, it is how we today should relate to Jesus, as well.

What does it mean to you to serve the Lord “in sincerity” and “in truth”? What are some of the distracting factors in your life that prevent your full devotion to God?

God is always faithful and trustworthy. To worship God “in sincerity and in truth” means that we must give our all to God. We must be 100% faithful to God. Serving God requires All or Nothing. We give our best to God.