Portland observer., January 25, 1995, Page 34, Image 34

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Giving Reverence
P a rt 2
By Larry K ennedy
delight, we give ourselves to wholeheartedly. We are not speaking
aul's teaching on marriage in Ephesiasns 5:33 revolves so
of duty as much as sheer enjoyment of loving our Lord.
closely around Christ and His church that we cannot, with a
On most occasions in which the characteristics of reverence or
scalpel, separate marriage and Christ’s marriage to His
fearing God are attributed to people, it sound like this in God’s
church— nor would we wish to! Here He instructs the wife to revere
Word: "They feared God and (fill in the blank).’’ God hears those
her husband. She does so by serving, giving, physical union, and
who fear Him and do His will. Simeon was righteous and devout
being yoked together with her husband’s dreams so that they
(or
reverent) towards God and kept His commandments. Job fears
become hers as well. There is ample evidence of her reverence by
God and turns from evil.
her actions at home and in public.
Let us revere God and give Him “the glory due His name.” Let
On the other hand, some husbands are held in awe at how long
us respond in like manner to the loving touch of our Bridegroom as
they can lay on the couch and watch T.V. “What are you doing.
He blesses us. His church. His bride, with more and more revela­
Honey?’ she asks. "I'm showing reverence to you. Honey. Can't
tion of how good He is and how worthy He is. He is worthy to
you tell'* I'm exuding reverence. Do a 'Vulcan Mind-Meld’ and
receive from us as many different responses as His overwhelming
you'll see it in my thoughts!” How many people in churches for
love beyond measure would elicit. Let us unashamedly, extrava­
worship today require God to read their minds in order to find out
gantly, offer up our expressions of love in spirit, soul, emotions,
if they revere Him? Don't make Him read your mind! Respond with
mind, will, and posture. Let us offer our bodies as living sacrifices.
joy to w hat He is doing in your life, family and market place. If you
"Let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken
are unable to see it. repent for you hardness of heart! Give Him that
and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and
which is due Him: your whole self; your mouth speaking and
awe, for our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:28).”
singing in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs—making melody
A God who is likened unto a consuming fire must be wor­
in your heart He deserves it. He is worthy of it! Give Him your
shiped consummately and passionately, not dispassionately. Jesus
mind, your will, even your emotions. Worship is not some mind trip
said of His constituents, "these people worship Me with their
where we must approach Him with disinterest, without passion. He
mouths but their heart is far from Me.” God spoke through the
says. "Delight yourself in Me (Psalm 37:4)." That in which we
prophet Hosea and with great pathos said, “I don't want you offer­
ings (religions, rituals), I want you to know Me; I don’t want you
sacrifices . . .1 want you to love Me (Hosea 6-8 TLB).”
Will He not be revered more by those willing to unashamedly
and passionately express their love to Him in ways which are
appropriate to the ways in which He is, moment by moment, cov­
ering. nurturing, protecting, healing, sanctifying, and transforming
us into a bride who really reveres her husband—the King of Kings
and Lord of Lords!
Larry Kennedy is a worship leader and associate pastor at
Sunnyside Foursquare Church in Clackamas, Oregon. He holds a
B.A. degree in Biblical Studies from Abilene Christian University
in Texas. Larry formerly spent seven years as lay minister at
Multnomah County Jail. Larry is married to a worship leader,
Laurie, and has three daughters. Heather, Hailie, and Holly. ■
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