FIVE STEPS TO PROPER REVERENCE

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com.

In Christ, Mark

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

** Follow The Christian Walk on Twitter @ThChristianWalk

** Like posts and send friend requests to the author of The Christian Walk, Mark Cummings on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mark.cummings.733?ref=tn_tnmn

** Become a Follower of The Christian Walk at http://the-christian-walk.blogspot.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool. Therefore stand in awe of God.

Ecclesiastes 5:1-3, 7b

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

As I read today’s scripture, I couldn’t help but think how timely it was, coming on a day when we are to gather together in church to worship the Lord, the One who created us and gave us life, the One whom from all blessings flow. A song written by Chris Tomlin simply proclaims that we were made for worship the Lord, to put ourselves aside daily to show proper reverence to the Master and Ruler of every living thing. One of the best ways we can worship the Lord is to set ourselves aside just as Jesus set Himself aside to save us. Paul put it this way as he wrote to the Romans:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1

True and proper worship to God, worship that is holy and pleasing, requires us to submit ourselves fully to Him, to allow all He is to be all we are and that requires us giving up all that we are to Him and His service.

So what are we to do then in worship? How are we to show proper reverence when we come before God to express our devotion, thanksgiving and praise, to confess our sins and ask for pardon, to receive His word and Spirit and guidance?

Looking at today’s passage from Ecclesiastes, I believe the Lord give us five important steps to ensure we show proper reverence to the Lord:

1. We are to guard our steps.

“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God.”

The Contemporary English Version bible translates this verse as “Be careful what you do when you enter the house of God.” Indeed, we should be in the right mindset when we are in the house of God. It is not a place for gossip or slander or inappropriate behavior. It is not a place where arrogance or greed or animosity belongs. We’re not to tell lies in God’s house but be people of truth.

Essentially, we’re not to give anything short of our full affection and adulation to God.

What is your mindset when you are in the house of God?

God’s word would ask us to examine it and make whatever correction is needed to ensure our behavior reflects proper reverence toward Him.

2. We are to listen.

“Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.”

God’s word is clear. We are to go to worship to hear not be heard. Proper reverence requires us to clear our minds and be in receive mode. We are to open our ears as well as our hearts and minds to receive God’s guidance and direction through the reading and hearing of the Holy Word, through the preaching of those God ordains to share His good news, and through our prayers as we commune and communicate with God on a personal level.

3. When we do speak, we are to watch the words we use.

“Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God.”

Our words should be few as we are called to listen but when we do speak, we are to carefully choose our words. Knowing that God hears our every word, we should be mindful of what we say before Him. This goes for when we are in worship or for any other time for that matter.

These words in a song by Phillips, Craig, and Dean underscore this truth and usher in the final two steps to proper reverence in our worship:

You are God in heaven
And here am I on earth
So I'll let my words be few
Jesus, I am so in love with You

And I'll stand in awe of You, Jesus
Yes, I'll stand in awe of You
And I'll let my words be few
Jesus, I am so in love with You

Let our words be few and this should be easy to do when we keep things in the proper perspective. This leads to step 4.

4. We must remember who God is and who we are.

“God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.”

God is God.

Period.

He rules and reigns over everything thus everything is subordinate to Him. We are to move when He says move, speak when He has us to speak, listen when He wants us to listen, act as He wants us to act. Our only proper attitude before God is humble submission to His word, will, and way. We are to exercise constant admiration and respect and wonder which leads to the final step to proper reverence.

5. We are to stand in awe of God.

“Therefore stand in awe of God.”

When we fully get who God is and who we are, when we finally see everything in creation as a product of His hands, when we experience the truth that there is nothing beyond the work of His almighty hands, then we can’t help but stand in awe of the God we worship and offer Him the ultimate reverence.

There is no one like our God. Absolutely no one.

Let us always and forever give Him the fullest measure of our honor, glory, and praise as we worship Him every day with proper reverence.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com