Devotion: “Recovering Reverence: A Serious Heart for a Holy God”
Scripture Reading:
“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.”
— Hebrews 12:28–29 (ESV)
Personal Reflection:
Have we lost our awe of God?
Today, in many churches, there seems to be more energy for entertainment than for earnestness. Our sanctuaries feel more like social spaces than sacred places. The house of prayer has become a house of programs. We've exchanged the upper room of Pentecostal power for a stage performance. Fellowship is good—meals are good—but only when Christ remains the center.
I've seen the difference. I've stood in places—like a small village in India—where believers had no air conditioning, no lights, and no "mood music." But they had tears in their eyes, hands lifted high, knees bent low, and the Spirit of God fell in power. Why? Because they came not for themselves, but for God. They came with seriousness, with expectation, and with hunger.
“Wherever God’s people meet with reverence and faith, heaven is near.” — A.W. Tozer
Many today gather with laughter on their lips but little truth in their hearts. We call it “community,” but are we building God’s Kingdom or just our comfort?
Contemplation:
Ask yourself: What am I expecting when I gather with God’s people?
The early church met in fear of the Lord, and in that fear, power was released. They prayed. They fasted. They broke bread. They shared everything. They saw miracles. Why? Because the Kingdom was serious businessto them.
The Kingdom of God is not a game or a gig. It’s not a club. It is the reign of Christ, and when we gather, we are entering into the presence of the Sovereign King of the universe.
“If we want the God of the early church, we must be the people of the early church.” — Leonard Ravenhill
Let us stop treating church as a platform to be entertained and start treating it as an altar to be changed.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven,
Forgive us for making light of Your holy presence. Forgive us for turning sacred space into a stage, and worship into a performance. You are the King of Glory, worthy of all reverence and awe.
Lord, restore in us the fear of God. Let us approach You with joy, but also with trembling. Let our worship services be filled with truth, prayer, power, and holiness. Let our meetings reflect the seriousness of the eternal Kingdom we have received.
We long for the power of the first-century church—not emotion or entertainment, but Your manifest presence that changes lives. Lord, fall on us again. Awaken our churches. Awaken our hearts. Make us faithful.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Today’s Challenge:
Before your next church gathering, prepare your heart in prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your attitude and expectation. Come to the gathering not to be entertained, but to meet with the living God. Encourage others to approach the meeting with reverence, faith, and hunger—and watch what God will do.
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