Fulfillment

UV 2132/10000 Fufillment
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecclesiastes 12 v 13

Fearing God implies having a deep and abiding sense of reverence towards the Lord of heaven and earth. It causes the extinction of all other fears- the fear of death, the fear of evil, the fear of failure, the fear of violence, the fear of punishment, the fear of the consequences of guilt, the fear of the consequences of one’s mistakes and so on. Fear of God in other words is not fear but the opposite of fear- faith. Trusting God for all the shortcomings, personal and of life. The fear of God promises us the rewards of true and inner wisdom, longevity, productivity, prosperity and continuity of legacy in succeeding generations.

The fear of God is not a mere psychological issue or an attitude but it is the active enthusiasm for His Word. It is about paying attention to the letter and spirit of His commandments and doing it. It is about knowing the nature or character of God and trying to conform to it. It is about walking in all His ways, step by step, moment by moment, all day and all our days. It is about loving the Lord, serving Him with all our hearts and souls. It is about giving priority to the kingdom or rule of the Lord in our lives. It is about actively seeking His will and abiding by it.

Solomon discovered after all his experimentation and experiences with a variety of things like pleasure, wealth, wisdom that fearing and serving God is the essence of our lives. It is our wholesome duty and in it all our other activities and duties would be subsumed and fulfilled. It will keep us from all pitfalls, vanities, follies and errors, wilful and otherwise, in our lives. It is the very purpose of creation and of our existence. We will find our fulfilment in loving and obeying the Lord wholeheartedly. Both our journeys and the destination, the process and the results would be greatly blessed. The fear of God does not restrict us but expands our understanding, our freedom, our powers and the use of all our faculties. It gives us access to great spiritual wisdom that eluded the great men and women of history.

Prateep V Philip