As I have been away from the availability of my computer I once again thank my son Stephen for sharing what God has put on his heart.

“Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them.” – Psalms 19:9-11 (NLT)

A foundational bedrock of the gospel is the understanding that we are not God. If we were God, we would have no need of the sacrifice of Jesus and no need to submit to any higher authority than our own. If we were God, all our own judgments would be right. Just a quick glance at the immoral human corruption and injustice on the earth and our own inability to correct it shows us the truth. Knowing this should guide our perspective of who we are in relation to God.

Learning about our relationship with Him comes with some cultural challenges. A modern perspective about our relationship with God is that He’s some kind of buddy or pal that we hang out with. When this perspective is emphasized, it can lead to a flippant view of God as though He is relaxing with a 12-pack inviting us to join His backyard barbecue. Unintimidating. Docile. Harmless. Scripture shows us that the opposite is true.

In the Biblical book of Job, the man the book is named after suffers several calamities. As he struggles with his loss, Job challenges God and God replies. God comes in a whirlwind and shows Job the immense power that He wields over the universe. God shows that He created the universe and has power over the weather and the stars, even power over life and death. He determines how each living creature should fit into His creation, making them with distinct characteristics and to live in balance with each other. After God shows Job His glory and power, Job is sorry that he challenged God because he realizes that God is greater than any human.

“I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.” – Job 42:5,6

We are not God. Accepting salvation through Jesus doesn’t make us God. He is unique, not among all creation, but above all creation. He is the only one that existed in eternity before creation and before time. It was His divine and unlimited power that created all other things. This leads us to an often-ignored topic in modern Christianity: reverence for God.

“When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also. ”This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain. Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire.” – Hebrews 12:26-29

Having reverence for someone means viewing and treating them with respect so deep it borders on caution. Yes, God loves us. Yes, God is good. But God is also terrifyingly powerful and answers to no one but Himself. Scripture talks about His anger and wrath resulting in destruction and death when it is directed toward those who do evil. Acknowledging God’s power exercised in judgment can make Him seem harsh, but His love and grace are amplified in the knowledge of His divine power and justice.

The immensity of God’s being, wholly powerful, wholly just, and wholly loving, can create a feeling of uncertainty in us. This is largely rooted in our experience with other people and, if we’re being honest, our knowledge of ourselves. What if God is just a little bit too strict? What if God’s justice is held a little bit higher than His grace? As humans, we might feel that a safer God is one who always chooses to err on the side of grace and mercy. Knowing that He is irresistibly powerful, we can feel that He might tip the scales a little too far and bring untold and unwarranted destruction and suffering.

Those feelings are very human, but they are based on a misunderstanding. God is not balancing on His tiptoes trying to figure out how far He should lean in one direction or another. God is an unmovable rock, perfect in all of His ways at all times. His justice is never unwarranted and His grace is never out of place.

Reverence for God should be an attitude that shows our gratitude for His grace, while also showing our respect for His perfect deity. In a world that is filled with disrespect and flippancy, our reverence for God should be an indicator that shows the world that we may be in it, but we don’t belong to it.