In Awe of Him
” And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. Then all the people answered, ‘Amen, Amen!’ while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.” -Nehemiah 8:5-8
As the people stood when they heard the Word of the Lord, no doubt a holy silence swept across the masses. As you think about the verses above, you actually need to stop and meditate on them if you are to receive their full impact. What I would like you to notice is the incredible respect and awe that these people had for the Word of God. It’s really quite amazing to think about the reverence they had for the Scriptures. As soon as Ezra opened up the Word, all the people stood to their feet. He then blessed the Lord, the great God and the people answered with shouts of “Amen and Amen!” Then, in what must have been a truly amazing moment, they lifted up their hands to honor God and they bowed their heads in worship with their faces to the ground.
Can you see that picture in your head? Think about it. Is that how you and I hold the Word of God, with that kind of great devotion and respect? Does worshiping God come to mind when you read the Holy Bible? Do you bow in honest and humble reverence before the Almighty God of creation with all of your heart and mind?
So ask yourself, are you a worshiper of God and His Word? Not just when you are at church, but more often where it really matters, like at work, at home or in whatever it is that you are doing. Do other people see that in your life? If not, you can change that today. You can take God’s Word to heart and believe in it for all that it says. If you should choose to do this, then you can rest assured that He will never fail to do all that He has promised in His Word.
Pastor Jack