If we fear God, we need fear nothing else - 8 February 2026

Fearing God is not about being scared of God but it means being in reverent awe of God which results in paying the appropriate respect and honour to God and so we will be happy to faithfully obey God. If we live like that, we need not be frightened by anything (that could paralyse with fear of simply make us miserable). That is a powerful message, and it comes from Psalm 112. This forms a pair with Psalm 111 which praises God for God’s character and marvellous works. Psalm 112 describes the blessing and happiness of those who mirror God’s nature. Those who do this may well receive both material and spiritual blessings. Further our families will benefit from the example of our life and commending to our children the protection of God. If we cannot impact on our family, we have less chance of impacting the community. Our lives will also be a blessing to the church congregation, since the Bible shows that we are not meant to be isolated believers but a worshipping community. This is not saying that a Godly character protects us from life’s pain or guarantees health, wealth or success. These are not part of the new covenant where in Jesus Christ we have every blessing that we will need. Even under the first covenant the Psalm itself mentions dark times, receiving bad news and being opposed by enemies. What happens when we are faced with adverse circumstances? Believers with a confident heart and clear conscience know that God is in control and they have to wait for the light. This is an important message for our current world where we can become despondent about the dark times in our community and the poor behaviour of many world leaders. What can we do? The Godly, themselves are a witness in the darkness and can be a source of light. Furthermore, the wicked who have seen these lights and yet opposed them will have no excuse when they face God’s judgement. Ian Olver