12 Who, then, is the man that fears the Lord?
He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.

Both of my children have a mind of their own. I guess that shouldn't surprise me, I was a very independent (translated stubborn) child myself. They've both inherited this sterling characteristic from their father. They haven't chosen the life path that I or their mother chose; both of them have chosen very unique paths that neither parent has travelled. But that doesn't mean that as parents we have no influence over that path. In fact, we do have a great deal of influence. Both Lorrie and I have provided our children with very specific advice and counsel for the paths that they have chosen. I see this even more pointedly as they finish college and begin to make decisions about careers, jobs, etc. So while we didn't choose the path for each of them, we have provided guidance for both. The reason my children will take that advice (OK, occasionally take the advice) is that they (hopefully) respect their parents, and know that both of us have their best interests at heart. They certainly don't follow our advice because they are afraid not to; we've continually reinforced the idea that as young adults they are responsible for their own choices and decisions.

If you take a close look at verse 12, you'll see that the above illustration is a pretty close example of the relationship between God and one of his children. Read the verse in the Amplified Version of the Bible:

"Who is the man who reverently fears and worships the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way that he should choose."

The believer's fear of God is not dread; it's not terror; and it's not because he or she is afraid of punitive action. The believer's fear of God is a reverential awe of God - a deep conviction about God's worthiness, trustworthiness and sovereignty. Because we "fear" God, we can trust His leading in our lives. But note that in verse 12 God is not the one choosing the path - the pilgrim himself chooses the path. The miracle, the genius, the ingenuity of God is such that as His children choose a path for themselves He is right there to provide the right counsel, the timely instruction, the gentle advice.

You may think that this definition of "fear" waters down who God is and the power of His judgement against sinful man. It does not. We are not to "fear" God in the sense of being afraid of Him. We should, however, be fearful of the wrath of God. He is a holy God, a righteous God, and a just God. His wrath is going to be overwhelming against man's waywardness. We need to remember and understand what God is capable of - and how fortunate we are that the wrath of God will not consume us. But Paul in Romans clearly paints a picture of a wrathful God.

Do you fear God? Have you thought about what that means in your life? Do you understand that God is ready and willing to "instruct you" in YOUR path that YOU have chosen? What an amazing God, that there are no two paths which are the same, and yet He will provide perfect guidance for anyone who fears Him. So again I ask - do you fear God today?

Psalm 25:12