Fear and Love

How do I know my fear of God is right?
There is good fear like reverance and awe,
fear of the Lord, His justice and His might,
fear of just punishments and righteous law.

Yet God is love, and does not love trump fear?
And does not fear drive us from love away?
Yet don't we fear to hurt One we revere?
And fear helps us control our feet of clay.

With God a healthy fear is not a crutch,
and when we sin, fear helps us to repent,
without respect we don’t love God so much,
good fear and love are meant to complement.

I doubt, O God, I'll get my due reward
without due love and due fear of the Lord.

                                       by Pete Voelz