Fear Versus Love...or, both?!!

When raising children we sometimes refer to the term 'healthy fear'aka respect for mom and dad's expectations and rules!!Sometimes dire consequence for disobedience are needed to refresh'healthy fear'! this pleasant moment below was followed up a few hours later by a text...'please pray for me'as she grappled with challenges of mothering and disciplining... How often our Heavenly Father also parents/disciplines His childrenas we learn to listen/obey... Today's poem touches onan inexhaustible topic, 'the fear of the Lord,, ...'summed up in one verse... Eccles. 12:13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:Fear God, and keep his commandments:for this is the whole duty of man. Job 28:20“From where then does wisdom come?And where is the place of understanding? And He said to man, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord,that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.'" ***Where is true wisdom Lord,And righteousness and peace?How can we know the way to go?Where does blessing increase? And where does love begin?And how is it defined?How can we purge want’s tainted urgeFrom heart and soul and mind? …to seek the things we oughtAh, where do we begin?To walk the way we ought, todayEquipped to withstand sin Oh Lord, forgive my sinYour kind mercy renewOpen faith’s eyes to recognizeThe holiness of You Then Lord, increase my fearSo blessing may increaseThe blessing of goodness and loveAnd righteousness and peace Through humble reverenceRefine devotion’s claimSo we may shine with light divineTo glorify Thy name To know the differenceTwixt fear of God and manAnd to pursue with purpose trueThe Master of love’s plan © Janet Martin "when you turn your back on God you're turning your back on your only hope,the One who loves you, cares for you and wants the best for you, butHe will not make you follow Him, not make you love Him, not make you obey Him..."Excerpt from above message Below, a-skimming-the-surface of scriptures on the fearing/loving God... Deut.13:4You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him,and keep His commandments and obey His voice;you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. Be not wise in your own eyes;fear the LORD and turn away from evil. To fear the LORD is to hate evil;I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech. In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence,And His children will have a place of refuge.The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged:and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. As a father pities (has compassion on) his children,So the LORD pities those who fear Him.Ps.103:13 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlastingOn those who fear Him,And His righteousness to children’s children,Ps.103:17 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever;the judgments of the LORD are true, being altogether righteous.Psalm 19:9 The angel of the LORD encampsaround those who fear him, and he delivers them.Psalm 34:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.Prov.9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;all who follow His precepts gain rich understanding. His mercy extends to those who fear Him,from generation to generation. Luke 23:40But the other criminal rebuked him.“Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? Lu 12:5But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear:Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell;yea, I say unto you, Fear him. Ac 9:31Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria,and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord,and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied. 2Co 5:11Therefore knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men,but we are made manifest to God;and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. Eph 5:21Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.His praise endures forever! The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Mal.3:16Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another,And the LORD listened and heard them;So a book of remembrance was written before HimFor those who fear the LORDAnd who meditate on His name.