Two boys were discussing the merits of their fathers early one evening. As little boys are prone to exaggerate, one would propose how great his dad was, and the other would say, "Oh yeah. Well my dad's better than that."

It turned into a shouting match in which one was telling the other, in no uncertain terms, "You better not do anything to me because my dad's stronger than your dad."

One boy demanded to see whether this was really so, and they agreed to go see this giant of a man. Arriving at the door, the boy called his father to come to see his friend. When he did this boy discovered that this father did in fact have a football player build, a voice that sounded like thunder, and a presence that demanded respect.

"You're right," the friend said, "He is a giant." Then he ran home. The timing was just right, however, for the father to say to his son, "Hey, it is getting close to bedtime. Why don't you go up and get your pajamas on, and let's read a couple of books together?" His son did just, got dressed for bed, picked out a couple of his favorite books, and climbed up on his father's lap. They read those books together.

Then Dad carried his son on his back, plunked him down in bed, talked with him, prayed with him, told him he loved him and left his son to go to sleep contented and peaceful.

This boy's friend had seen only the power and might of this father and out of fear decided to keep his distance away from him. On the other hand, the son experienced the love and grace of his father and enjoyed time with him.

Our experiences of our earthly fathers are not all the same. These and other factors, especially in our formative years may color our concept of God. Some have an unhealthy fear of God and others ought to have more fear of God. God is sometimes pictured as the divine killjoy, an absentee father, a strict judge, while others may see Him as a permissive lover with no rules to guide their lives. This morning I would like us take a look at God with the intent of having a proper, Biblical, fear of God

Let's spend a few moments this morning considering our wonderful God being praised in Psalm 103. As we quickly look at some of these reasons for praising God we can see the balance that may help us to rightly fear God without being unnecessarily afraid of Him. While most of us may be quite familiar with these benefits, I challenge you today to think about them in terms of what they mean to us in having a right view of our heavenly Father.

I. God forgives all our sins.

I believe that this is an excellent place to start. Some persons seem to have absolutely no sense of sin in our society today. They may think that if other people are doing it and there is not a law against a certain behavior that it must be okay. Others may think that even if they might be doing something not pleasing to God that He is so loving that it does not matter at all. Still others realize well that they are sinners and need to be reminded that God forgives sinners who repent and seek to live in right relationship with Him and their fellow human beings.

II. God heals our disease.

Some disease may be the direct or indirect result of sin. In the Scriptures we find that persons living in sin might reap the consequences of that sin in their bodies. Examples in our society could include abusing bodies with alcohol and other drugs and the spread of diseases from sexual promiscuity. Of course, illness can also inflict godly people, so we need to be careful here.

In the latter Stone Age illness was thought to be caused by evil spirits. Skulls from this period have been dug up that have holes in them. They would cut out a square hole at the back of the head, lift out the bone and let the evil spirits out. In later, Babylonian times, people believed that ear or nose rings, necklaces and other jewelry could be used to ward off evil spirits and avoid disease.

Our God is the one who is bigger than disease and evil spirits. While complete healing may wait until we live in heaven with Christ, He is our healer. His healing is spiritual and relational, not just physical.

III. God redeems our lives.

The Psalmist said God redeems my life from the pit. Generally, pit is understood to refer to death, or the path toward death, physically or spiritually. We are saddened when we see people head down the wrong path, away from God, away from the values that make life worth living. Even in these times our mighty God can redeem their lives and give them meaning and purpose.

Again, think of what this says about our concept of God. While sin matters; it has potentially disastrous consequences; and separates people from a holy God; God desire to redeem our lives. He sent Jesus to pay the redemption price for you and me. Otherwise we would be headed for the pit without hope.

IV. God crowns us with love and compassion.

This needs to be seen in proper balance with the judgment of God for our sins. God by nature is loving and compassionate, and shows that love and compassion to His children again and again.

Not only is this a great characteristic of God, but also He crowns us with love and compassion. What do you think it means, to crown? Our God, in His great love, chooses to treat His redeemed sinners as royalty. We become members of the family of the King of Kings.

V. God satisfies our desires.

Some think of God as making life miserable, at least making rules to keep us from having fun. That is not an accurate description of the God I see in the Scriptures and fellowship with. Yes, God has some rules, but they are for our benefit. God knows the consequences of actions. He wants what is best for us and satisfies the desires of hearts for Him.

Along with this the Psalmist says, "So that your youth is renewed like the eagle." I think David is speaking more of a youthful spirit than a youthful body and what beautiful illustration the eagle is as it soars to great heights. What is picture this may be of the redeemed soul going into the presence of God?

Erling Olsen wrote. "Men have tried to find out the reason for the long life of the eagle, and among the things they have discovered is that the eagle is able to masticate its food, even in old age. It has been suggested that when the eagle gets old, and its beak becomes long, so that it finds it difficult to open its mouth, it takes its prey between its beak and dashes it against the rocks, breaking it into small pieces. While the eagle is doing that, it is automatically breaking off its beak. It again becomes short, and it finds that it can open its mouth like a young fellow once more. When the soul that waits upon the Lord is fed by the Word of God, it will be sustained, and its youth will be constantly renewed like that of the eagle."

VI. God works righteousness and justice.

"The Lord performs righteous deeds, and judgments for all who are oppressed." When we are feeling down, we may be reminded that God is for the oppressed. God is not an oppressor and those who love God should not oppress others. The Lord wants the oppressors to repent while He works for righteousness and justice for those who are oppressed.

VII. God reveals Himself.

While those who lived during Old Testament times sensed the very real presence of God. God made His ways known to Moses, and His deeds to the people of Israel. Think about the fantastic miracles the Lord used to reveal Himself to His people. Since this Psalm was penned, of course, God revealed Himself in the presence of Jesus Christ, God in human flesh.

What a magnificent revelation for us to enjoy.

VIII.God is merciful and compassionate.

We read, "He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities." Do you realize that if you and I got what we really deserved, we would be in serious trouble? We would have good reason to be afraid of God. While each of us has sinned and failed to measure up to the standards of our Holy God, He has removed our transgression from us as far as the east is from the west. That is a long ways. Do you appreciate the fact that through God's your sin has been separated from you? Years ago a devoted Christian layman speaking on this verse said, "I do not know how much comfort that thought is to you, but to me-I almost feel like becoming a shouting Methodist-I mean the old-fashioned kind! My sin has been removed, God removed it. I will never meet it again. Do you know any other message that can give such joy as the knowledge this message brings?"

Conclusion

What is your relationship with the one true God? Do you shudder in fear as you think of His power, His holiness, and His judgment? Does what you know of God cause you to distance yourself from God?

Some speak instead of a God of love who looks the other way when we sin, if there is such a thing as sin. They think that God is so loving that He has no standards and if He does have standards He really does not expect us to be concerned about them.

Neither of these is a healthy fear of God. The latter some might say do not fear God at all and the former fear Him wrongly.

Remember the boys with whom I began this message? One ran away in fear when he met his friend's father. The son really knew his father and had a healthy fear, a respect for his dad's authority and a relationship of love. Recall verse 13, "Just as the Father has compassion on His children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him."

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