Consistent Respect
I grew up being taught good manners. My parents taught me to say “Please” & “Thank You”. They also taught me say Ma’am & Sir when replying to someone with respect. I remember being taught to bow my head and close my eyes when praying. (I must confess that I checked to see if they were actually doing this as well J – they were.) I can probably make quite a long list of “respect responses” that I was taught growing up. I almost forgot to mention that my Dad also taught me how to be a gentleman – to open the door for ladies.
I remember being taught further in Sunday School and youth group functions about respecting God. I learned to respect His Word and the people who taught His Word. I actually put them on a “pedestal” and really shouldn’t have. I do remember standing up when reading the Word of God publically.
When the people of Judah were finally finished with the rebuilding of the wall and the Temple, they assembled on the first day of the 7th Month. They asked Ezra, the scribe to read from the Law of Moses. He obliged and I can feel the respect and reverence that these people were feeling. Check this out…
5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, ‘Amen! Amen!’ Then they bowed down and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read. (Nehemiah 8:5-6; 8 NIV)
I believe that my respect for the Lord should be consistent. I don’t think it should matter where I am or what I’m doing – my respect for Him, His Word, His Word and His call upon my life should be steady and consistent.
I want to be keenly aware of Him speaking to me through His Word.
I want to be keenly aware of Him speaking to me through another person.
I want my respect toward others to come from a profound respect for God Who created all of us. I want to worship God from a place of profound gratitude and respect. I want this to happen without giving much thought – in other words, I want to be consistent in respecting Him and others.
Pressing On!
Dwayne