Reverenceনমুনা

There is a side to reverence that if not balanced with this understanding could create unnecessary distance between yourself and God, and it is this; you are invited into his presence unrestricted and fully accepted.

In Luke 10 the story of Mary and Martha demonstrates that our proximity is invited.

Jesus is over at the two sisters' home and while Martha is in the kitchen, Mary is sitting at His feet, absorbing every word she can and getting as close to his presence as possible.

Martha gets frustrated with her sister and asks Jesus to dismiss her and send her away to help prepare the food, but instead, Jesus responds by saying “Only one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

We are invited to sit at his feet.

To get as close as possible to him.

it’s the better choice and it will never be taken away from us, but sometimes we choose to stay in the other room, maybe not for the same reasons as Martha, but because there is a fear of being in His presence.

We get to call him Father as well as Lord.

We are His children, and a child cannot be parented from a distance.

A child cannot experience love from a parent if they are always fearful of being in their presence.

Thanks to Jesus, we are co-heirs of the Kingdom and our access to God is unrestricted yet when someone lives in fear of the Holy they place restrictions on their access.

To live in Holy Fear is to sit like Mary, fully engaged, as close as possible, and invited to stay for as long as we wish.

So when you have reverence in all the right places you live alert and focused.

Awestruck, and wonderstruck by God.

Fully accepted and adopted as a child.

This value has helped me to live in Holy fear and not fear the Holy, perhaps it could be a value that you wish to adopt in your life too.

As you read the final Scriptures today for this devotional, I pray you know how much you are loved, and invited into His presence by a loving and steadfast Father who calls you, His child.