DIVINE REVERENCE

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. (Acts 2:42-43 ESV)

            Years ago I read in a periodical, “Do you wonder where the wonders went? They went with the wonder!” The writer was communicating a central truth: A direct correlation exists between a sense of awe and the manifestation of signs and wonders. Awe expresses reverence toward God, along with amazement at the miraculous accomplishments of the Holy Spirit.

            The sense of awe is always on account of the Lord’s doings, and is not owing to any efforts happening in His name. Awe is a reaction to an amazing God, not an idiom about an exciting event. It is inappropriate to speak of events as awesome, only the acts of Jesus create such wonders. A purely awesome moment is experienced when standing amazed at His presence, and nothing less.

            Awe is a response of people, while wonders are a product of God. Holy and genuine signs and wonders naturally produce feelings of astonishment, a reverence for God that creates an atmosphere conducive for continued supernatural occurrences. The unknowable is what came first in each circumstance, awe or wonders?

Irreverence

            “He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, ‘Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary…?’ And they took offense at him … And he could do no mighty work there…he laid his hands on a few people and healed them.” (Mark 6:1-3,5 ESV) Reverence is critical for seeing an abundance of wonders manifested by the Spirit.

            The quality of any relationship depends greatly on a person’s attitude toward them. When someone is treated flippantly or with disrespect, very little benefit comes out of the relationship, very little profit grows out of the association. Especially if that someone is in authority.

            This is definitely true about the Lord. When He is treated frivolously, heavenly abundance is strangely lacking in the human soul.

Reverence

            Reverence comes from the word revere, meaning “to show deference, to have deep admiration, to cherish tender feelings.” The word translated from the original language is also rendered shamefacedness. Modesty and restraint should characterize fellowship with God. Reverence is a quality of spirit designed to permeate the inward character, the very core of human existence.

            God is not desiring for any follower of Jesus to be afraid of Him. People were originally created for fellowship with Him. Yet no one cannot really love, worship, and serve the Lord and Master without reverence. You cannot enjoy a vibrant connection with Him unless there is a well-developed sense of honor and esteem.

            Paul reminds the church that the Lord is “Abba, Father!” (Galatians 4:6) Contemporary speakers frequently comment about the term communicating intimacy. They occasionally convey the idea using the endearing word “Daddy.” Yet the word in the original language is Father, not Dad, suggesting one of the most loving of all human ties yet warranting admiration and respect.

Reverence is not a spiritual straitjacket

            Some people associate reverence with staid, solemn church gatherings where no one dares make a sound apart from a rigid program. In reality, awe is often experienced amid sounds of joyful praise and great celebration. A heavenward respect, however, must be present and conveyed within both the realm of silence and in the atmosphere of exuberance. One posture is not necessarily more conducive than the other to a sense of astonishment and amazement.

            Spirit-filled worship has been accused of irreverence. Unfortunately, there are valid reasons for such conclusions. Problems will become manifested when a group of believers move out of the realm of the Spirit and into the energy of the flesh. If elements of the fallen nature get in the way of adulation and adoration, undesirable and unbecoming behavior is quickly manifested. A close encounter with God should never digress to corrupt reactions.

            Greater sensitivity is needed to discern when divine liberty has ended and human enactments has taken over. Intimate worship of the Lord must include reverence, accomplished solely by being constantly and continually in tuned to the Spirit.

Familiarity breeds contempt

            Thoughts and feelings toward someone can become so common and comfortable that eventually consideration and courtesy disappears. When this transpires undue liberties are often taken. If this treatment is allowed to continue the relationship deteriorates, especially with the Lord.

            For example, a leading cause for wondering if an assignment was coming to a close and if I should become open to a transition was the following: Has the relationship between the congregation and myself deteriorated to a point where my leadership can no longer be effective? If the signs were clearly evident of disproportionate and debilitating familiarity, I started to question if God was about to work a change and if another quest was on the horizon. Normally the answer came within a year.

            Throughout my years of church leadership, I never actively pursued any of my assignments, ever. On the other hand, I never wanted my continued presence to hold a congregation back from further advancement.

            I knew better then to leave on account of or during conflict and unrest. That is when leadership is needed the most, a time when sheep clearly need a shepherd. All my transitions occurred when everything was peaceful and rather serene; yet the required respect for leadership was gone and showed little or no signs of ever returning. In every profession, when the necessary and essential high regard is fully exhausted, a leadership change becomes imperative. Either the leader or the people transition.

Reverence protects against flippancy

            When it comes to eternal matters, a dangerous attribute is poking fun instead of being still. (2 Peter 3:3; Psalms 46:10) Believers who reflect the most sensitivity to the stirrings of the Spirit invariably demonstrate the highest quality of reverence, respect, and regard.

            From the home, to the classroom and to the workplace, the spirit of the age is rude and crude. The average person increasingly shows disdain for all kinds of authority, even within the ranks of people who claim to love God. No one can cherish the Lord without respect for those in responsible positions. There is no love for God while there is disdain for anyone, even enemies perceived or real.

            Jesus has a beautiful way of removing coarseness from the human spirit, if allowed. He makes people bold without rudeness or harshness. He gives believers confidence that does not degenerate into contemptuous familiarity.

Awe

            The current generation increasingly accepts permissiveness and moral laxity, showing themselves in many aspects of everyday living, even church life. Yet pure and undefiled respect and admiration for the Lord is needed in order to witness the mighty and miraculous works of Christ.

            Help restore a fresh infusion of reverence and sanctifying power in the church. Create sacred environments, instrumental for holy awe moments, where signs and wonders occur in greater frequency.