In the classic movie Forrest Gump there
is a scene in which Captain Dan, a Vietnam vet
who lost both legs in the war, rails against and
challenges God to a showdown as the boat he is
on faces a hurricane. Later we see him calmly
swimming in the ocean and are told that Captain
Dan "made his peace with God". In his book
"The Purpose Driven Life", while discussing
being "authentic" with God, Rick Warren, after
quoting
Exodus 33:12-17
from the Message paraphrase (which is a very
poor and arrogant rendering of that passage)
asks and answers the question, "Can God handle
that kind of frank, intense honesty from you?
Absolutely."
But it's really not a question of
what God can handle, is it? It is a question of
what is right. No one in the Bible "told God
off" with as much foolish pride and to the
extent that Job did. After God asked him a
series of questions that left him dumbfounded
this was Job's reply, "I know that you can
do all things, and that no purpose of yours can
be thwarted. 'Who is this that hides counsel
without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered
what I did not understand, things too wonderful
for me, which I did not know. 'Hear, and I will
speak; I will question you, and you make it
known to me.' I had heard of you by the hearing
of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I
despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes"
(Job 42:2-6). In
Romans
9:20
The Message paraphrase actually does a pretty
good job of getting the point across-"Do you
for one moment suppose any of us knows enough to
call God into question?"
People have always had a problem
with thinking more highly of themselves and
their opinions than they ought. We'd do well to
remember our place when we approach God in
prayer and do so in a spirit of humility and
reverence instead of audacity and pride. Solomon
warned, "Guard your steps when you go to the
house of God. To draw near to listen is better
than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they
do not know that they are doing evil. Be not
rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be
hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in
heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your
words be few. For a dream comes with much
business, and a fool's voice with many words."
(Ecclesiastes
5:1-3)
In
Exodus 3:1-5
Moses is detoured from his mundane life to have
a meeting with God. As he approaches the burning
bush he is commanded to "remove your sandals
from you feet, for the place on which you are
standing is holy ground." What made this
ground holy? Simply this—the presence of God.
There is an application there for the Christian.
The essence of reverence lies in God's people
forming a sensible estimation of our place in
the scheme of things. Paul warned the Roman
Christian "not to think more highly of
himself than he ought to think; but think so as
to have sound judgment" (Romans
12:3).
Sound judgment is recognizing that we have a
finite understanding of an infinite God (Romans
11:34;
Job 40:2). It is knowing our place before God
and keeping that place (Jude
6).
Why should we revere God? For the wiser among us
that question contains its own answer. But we
must fear God because of His nature (Psalm
111:9;
130:4;
Revelation 15:4).
We must fear God because of His word (Deuteronomy
4:10;
Isaiah 66:1,2).
And we must fear God because of His works (Joshua
4:23,24;
1
Kings 8:37-40;
Ecclesiastes 3:14).
We must bow down before Him who is
the fountain of all life. The soul's adoration
of God is the central point of grace and
reverence. Its influence pervades and affects
all other relations we have in life.
God bless you,
Brad Fry
