Reverence

said, “You shall have no other gods before Me and you shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.” Having Him in our mind and heart who has the power to destroy both soul and body in hell helps us escape the corruption that is in the world caused by evil desires.

Corollary to this is the story of spouses Ananias and Sapphira in the Scriptures who failed to observe reverence to Him by lying to the Holy Spirit with respect to the disposal of their bounty (Acts 5:1-11). They did not give what is due Him and they both died at once. Their fatal ultimatum from God, however, resulted to an increase in reverence and awe among believers in the land. It was a stern warning to them how fearsome it was to fall in the hand of the Almighty. Such dreadful scenario happens when reverence to our holy God is deficient.

However, reverence is our best defense in the face of seemingly insurmountable offer from the adversary. We will appreciate its worth when the force of evil is at its peak.

This is the armory that Joseph had during his trying times. As such, he was kept from falling into immorality imbued by his master’s beautiful and seductive wife. Although the woman tried to entice him day after day, he would not agree to lie beside her, or even stay near her. Rather, Joseph said to her, “how could I do this great evil and sin against God?”(Genesis 39) Joseph has been thrown into prison for his reverence but reverence, in return, put him into prominence as he was made governor of Egypt.

Like Joseph, reverence results to pleasing God with our words, thoughts, and actions and leaving Him the outcomes. It is beyond cavil that we cannot have reverence without first establishing our relationship with Him. He should live and rule over us that we may truly understand reverence to the all supreme God. When reverence increases, rebellion ceases.

— Council for the Restoration of Filipino Values