Live 4 The LORD

Psalm 34:16

The face of the LORD is against evildoers,

To eliminate the memory of them from the earth.

{This does not mean that God is against all people, but rather against the evil that people commit, and He offers a path to redemption for all who seek it. 

God's "face is against evildoers," it is ultimately for the purpose of bringing about healing and salvation, even if it involves painful correction. 

God desires the salvation of all people. His justice is always tempered by His mercy. God's gaze is not solely one of condemnation but also of watchful care for those who turn to Him in hope. 

True repentance involves a change of heart and action. 

God's grace is necessary for salvation, it does not negate human freedom or responsibility. God "chooses" those who respond to His grace and align their will with His. This is not an arbitrary selection but a response to those who "fear Him" and "hope in His mercy". 

The "elimination of the memory" of evildoers from the earth signifies the just consequences of their actions. It speaks to the ultimate futility and destruction that await those who persist in wickedness, rather than a universal condemnation of all humanity. 

A choice must be made. To continue in evil or repent: change heart and direction by Fear of God and Hope in His Mercy. 

The "fear of God" is not a servile dread of punishment, but rather a profound reverence, awe, and respect for God, coupled with childlike desire not to offend Him. 

God is Father, that he loves us and wants our salvation, and he always forgives, thus, there is no reason to be scared of him. It reminds us of our smallness before God, His immense love, and the wisdom of humbly abandoning ourselves into His hands. This fear is not an attitude of resignation or passivity, but one of wonder and joy of being a child who knows he is loved by the Father. 

It is a fear that arises from love, a desire not to displease the beloved. This fear is a fear specifically, of loosing God's presence and him forsaking you. 

The fear of God is a loving reverence that motivates a person to avoid sin out of love for God and a desire to remain in His presence, rather than out of a mere dread of punishment. It is a gift that deepens one's relationship with God and fosters true spiritual freedom.}