The Fear of God

38 “They shall be My people, and I will be their God;
39 and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them.
40 “I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me.
~Jeremiah 32~

Wow. I like that last line. "I will put the fear of Me in their hearts." Of course, I've heard people say that before, putting the fear of God in them. Parents to children, police to criminials, political leaders to enemies. I also knew that we were to fear God.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction." We all know that. And we know that the heart is wicked and deceitful. So, how do we get around this problem? God gives us a new heart. One of flesh, and not of stone.

The Law was perfect in every way, except one. It relied upon us, ahem, me, to follow it. And I cannot. I have a sinful nature that desires to do things I don't want to do. How do I stop? I ask God for deliverance. Forgiveness from sins, and deliverance from sin. This is how I am changed. And how the blessings of God flow into my life.

Jesus Christ saved me from my body of sin. I am a child of the covenant because of God's efforts on my behalf. He made the covenant, He offers the blessings, He gives me the strength to follow in His steps, and He gives me a heart that desires to follow. He put the fear of Himself in me so that I would want to be like Him.

God is good, all the time.