Do you honor the King? Which King, you ask? The King that the psalmist recognizes when he says, “For God is the King of all the earth…” (Psalms 47:7). If “yes” is your response, how do you show God honor? Do you have a checklist?
* Pray before each meal
* Attend church every Easter
* Sing in the church choir
* Volunteer at church
* Attend Bible study
* Send children to Sunday school
Pretty good list, you think? So, is that all that is required to honor the King? Is saying your prayers before going to bed sufficient?
“Now I lay me down to sleep.
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.”
Is that suitable? Or is it enough to just reverence Him on Sundays? Is that all that is needed to honor the Creator?
Personally speaking, although the “checklist” is noble, simply abiding by a set of rules doesn’t signify that we honor God.
Honoring God comes from the heart. When we truly honor God, we do so with sincerity. We’re not doing it for accolades or to prove how holy we are. Rather, we honor God because we love Him. Mark 12:30 says, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” We don’t need anyone to acknowledge that we’re such “great Christians” as long as we know we’re pleasing God.
We honor God because He honors us. God honors us with a LOVE that will never fade. Romans 8:38-39 says, “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” No matter what, God loves us. When we don’t deserve it, He is willing to extend His grace and mercy, giving us time to get it right. Just look at David who impregnated a married woman and later had her husband killed (II Samuel 11). Or, consider the story of the apostle Paul who once persecuted those who professed Jesus Christ (Acts 8 & 9). Despite their past transgressions, they were still forgiven and raised up to be mighty men of God.
We honor God when we honor Jesus as His Son. In order to honor God, we must also acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” I John 4:15 also states, “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” There are people who only want to honor God, while reducing Jesus to the level of men in the Bible, like Moses and Elijah. Although they were great men whom God used mightily, neither one held the position of God’s “only begotten Son”. As God’s Son, Jesus was the only one who could redeem us from our sins. Paul says in I Corinthians 15:3-4, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” Moreover, John 5:23 tells us that God expects “that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent Him.”
We honor God when we obey Him and stay away from sin. Jesus says in John 14:15, “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” God wants us to live free from sin because it only leads to eternal death. Instead, He wants us to enjoy life in Him. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord,” (Romans 6:23). Once we confess and turn away from our sins, God is guaranteed to forgive us (I John 1:9). We are then made brand new. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new,” (II Corinthians 5:17).
We honor God by developing and maintaining a relationship with Him. Jesus says in John 15:15, “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” God doesn’t beat us over the heads like slaves, but He loves us unconditionally. All He asks is that we do the same! In other words, see Him as your BEST friend! See Him as the one with whom you share all your secrets because you know He won’t run and tell! Let Him be your shoulder to cry on, for He knows just how to comfort you. Shower Him with gifts of praise and worship, and be selfless of your time and money in order to help others. Brag often about His AWESOMENESS! Defend Him when naysayers want to disrespect Him. Listen to Him and obey when He speaks to you through His Word and in times of prayer. He has great plans for your life and knows what’s best for you!
By honoring God we bring honor to ourselves. God says He will honor those who honor Him (I Samuel 2:30). In other words, we will be blessed! Jesus promises in John 15:7, “If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” He also emphasizes in Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Furthermore, because we honor God with our hearts, we can look forward to seeing Him. “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God”, (Matthew 5:8).
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