Reverence
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” —Proverbs 9:10, ESV
In the verse above, Scripture tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. When we look up the Hebrew meaning of “fear,” we find that it includes not just terror, but respect, reverence, and deep honor. This means that the person who holds God in deep reverence—who respects Him above all else—has taken the first step toward true wisdom.
God requires us to reverence Him, and the primary way we do this is through obedience. Moses reminded Israel of this when he said:
“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord… for your good?”
(Deuteronomy 10:12–13)
As I was writing this devotional, the Holy Spirit showed me something important: before we became children of the Most High God, our reverence and obedience were directed toward Satan, whether we realized it or not. We followed the desires of our flesh, obeying his influence as we worshiped self-gratification.
When God called Israel as His chosen people, He began teaching them—through Moses—how to honor and serve Him. He made it clear that they could no longer behave as they had in the past. They were now a holy people, set apart for God. He was not impressed by lip service; He was looking at their hearts. Their obedience—or lack of it—revealed what was truly inside them.
The same truth applies to us today. We are called to worship the Lord our God and to serve Him alone. Singing worship songs and offering verbal praise are beautiful expressions, but they are not the fullness of what God requires. True reverence is demonstrated through obedience. Anything less is disobedience.
So let us honor God with every part of our lives. May our reverence be seen not only in our words, but in our actions, choices, and daily submission to His commandments.
Key Takeaways
Reverence for God is demonstrated through obedience, not just worshipful words.
The fear of the Lord—deep respect and honor—is the foundation of true wisdom.
God looks at the heart, and our actions reveal whether we truly revere Him.
To reverence God fully, we must walk in His ways, love Him, and keep His commands.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19; Isaiah 55:11
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