Isaiah 66:1-2 – Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
Where has the reverence gone? Too often today, people not only question the existence of God, but they mock those who sincerely seek Him. Proper reverence demonstrates respect and faith both of God and His creatures. Can we call ourselves faithful without reverence? Can we be serious about repentance without being contrite? There will always be those that scorn and disrespect the Lord and His followers, but Christians should lead the way to a culture of respect and dignity for God and all His creatures.
The psalmist wrote, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful” (Psalm 1:1). Ungodliness, sin and scorn come together as a package, but blessings await the godly, those that faithfully seek after God’s kingdom and His righteousness. One of the greatest blessings we gain in walking with God instead of the world is peace: peace of mind, peace with each other, and most importantly peace with the Lord.
Our church prayer list has identified victims of terrorism, refugees, and race relations as critical issues for over a year now. Why? Because these issues are symptoms of the irreverence present today in the world at large and in our local communities. Without due respect for God, laws have little support and change to suit the whims of society, social norms also breakdown and love for others wanes as each person seeks their own interests above others.
Do we still tremble at the word of God? Does it move us to tears for our sins? Does the love of Christ still astonish us? Christ redeemed His people from sin and eternal death, and because of Christ, the Father loves us. Thus all God’s children are equal before Him, and if equal, we owe all men respect and dignity.
Let us tremble at this truth knowing that only by grace are we saved. Only by grace…