Fear God and Keep His Commandments

Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastes 12:13

It’s embarrassing to consider the cycles of faithfulness I go through in my relationship with Christ. My desire to be a committed believer does not waiver, but my perseverance does. I slowly begin neglecting one on one time with God daily. I do a great job of talking about the things of eternity in the right settings, but don’t always have the consistent follow through to live the life that I have been called to live on a daily basis. What if Christ had lacked follow through? Where would I be…..damned to an eternity of torture and grief separated from Him.

Christ remained faithful to His calling of death on a cross. As a Christian, I have the power of Christ in me. The same perseverance that gave Jesus the strength to walk the road to Calvary also lives in me. My inability to remain faithfully devoted day after day is nothing more than selfish desires that I have placed higher than the One who gives and sustains life. Fear God and keep His commandments. Life really is as simple as that. The rest is just details.

Fortunately, God controls the details of life. Why would I ever want to stray from the One who created and sustains me and the One who knows the details of tomorrow? All I have been called to do is live faithfully in the present. By living in the present with Christ I have died to myself. I have put my faith, trust, and hope only in Him. I find joy in Him and through His blessings. He laid down his life so that I may live a life of peace. When I stray from Him, I am forfeiting all of those things for a life of temporary satisfaction and ultimately meaningless gains in light of eternity. I am also telling Jesus, the One who laid down His life for mine and gives me every good thing and sustains my life daily, “Thanks but no thanks. I’ve got a better plan.”

A fear of God compels me to stand in awe of Him. I can only marvel at His creation and be overwhelmed by His love. I know that He alone is God and I really am nothing apart from Him. He is eternal and the things of Him matter for eternity.

So fear God and keep His commandments…life really is as simple as that.