I don’t believe in that sort of “fear of God.” I don’t believe in a God who rules by fear like a devil or the mafia. And I certainly don’t think God is some random killer let alone a soul destroying monster. There is no one who loves us more. There is only one sort of fear of God I believe in, and that is due to the fact that we cannot control or manipulate Him. This was illustrated quite well by C. S. Lewis in the Silver Chair.
“Are you not thirsty?" said the Lion.
“I am dying of thirst,” said Jill.
“Then drink,” said the Lion.
“May I — could I — would you mind going away while I do?” said Jill.
The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience.
The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.
“Will you promise not to — do anything to me, if I do come?” said Jill.
“I make no promise,” said the Lion.
Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer.
“Do you eat girls?” she said.
“I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms,” said the Lion. It didn’t say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it.
“I daren’t come and drink,” said Jill.
“Then you will die of thirst,” said the Lion.
“Oh dear!” said Jill, coming another step nearer. “I suppose I must go and look for another stream then.”
“There is no other stream,” said the Lion.”
He loves us on His terms according to His correct understanding of reality and not according to our foolish irrationalities. More than any human parent He knows all too well what is in our best interest. So although I do not believe He will force what is best on us, I do believe He is not going to cooperate or contribute to our self-destruction just because we insist on it. Like a patient confronting a surgeon what is best includes surrendering ourselves to His care, and until we do that there isn’t much point and certainly there would never be any point in catering to our nonsensical demands.
Some might prefer the word respect for this and when we understand God better that is a good word for it. But for some who have a hard time surrendering control over things to anyone, fear might be a better word for what they actually experience – not to mention the fact that going under a surgeon’s knife is never without some degree of fear.