The Bible In Two Years Blog: Can fear lead to friendship?

Who is the man who fears the Lord?
    Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
His soul shall abide in well-being,
    and his offspring shall inherit the land.
 The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
    and he makes known to them his covenant. (Psa 25:12-14) 

Can fear lead to friendship? 

You're probably all familiar with the CS Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia and perhaps the following exchange between the children and Mr and Mrs Beaver as they discuss Aslan: 
"Then he isn't safe?" said Lucy.
"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver; "don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."

It was this scene that came to mind when I was reading Psalm 25 this morning and v14 in particular. 

How often do we ask God that we might fear him more? Or more particularly how often do we ask that a growing fear of him would lead to a growing friendship with Him? "But fear of God is just for the Old Testament", some say. Yet Paul writes in Phil 2:12 that we 'the beloved' are to 'work out your salvation with fear and trembling.' Clearly he doesn't mean we do so with any fear of condemnation or judgement: our salvation has removed all fear of that! Indeed, 'There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love' (1 John 4:18). Rather our fear of God is a reverence, an awe, a growing awareness of and delight in his holiness and splendour, a marvelling that he would have set his affections and love upon us, such that we are now hidden in Him. A knowledge that he is as much the lion of Judah as he is the lamb of God. This a kind of fear that rather than driving us away, draws us in. 

And what are the consequences of being drawn to God in fear and trembling, according to the Psalmist? Friendship. Approaching God with fear actually leads to the very intimacy and deep soul fellowship we so desire. We approach the King with fear and trembling, amazed at who He is and what He's done and even more amazed to discover he is delighted to call us not just servants, but friends (John 15:15). We can find that the Lion of Judah is delighted to embrace us, talk to us and be with us as friends. 

The great beast rolled over on his side so that Lucy fell, half sitting and half lying between his front paws. He bent forward and just touched her nose with his tongue. His warm breath came all round her. She gazed up into the large wise face.
    “‘Welcome, child,” he said.
    “AsIan,” said Lucy, “you’re bigger.”
    “That is because you are older, little one,” answered he.
    “Not because you are?”
    “I am not. But every year you grow, you will find me bigger.”

(Prince Caspian, CS Lewis) 

The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him.