The awe of God: how to approach the Heavenly Father

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

People often speak of God as though He is just another person. Words that seem to desire to bring Him down to our level. They seem to want a God who is like a daddy or grandfather who allows them to do anything they want without consequences.

I sometimes try to wrap my mind around the way we should approach God. I imagine what it would be like if I had a king who was an adopted father and best friend.

I could tell him everything. No secrets would be withheld. I could expect him to help me. I could expect he would give guidance. If I didn’t follow that guidance and things go wrong, I don’t think he would be pleased.

Even though he was my adopted father and friend, I could not disrespect him or treat him lightly because after all he is not only a father and friend, he is my king. He makes the rules and I must follow them whether I agree with them or not. To do so would bring consequences.

After these thoughts, I think that God is not just a king, He is the King over all kings. He is the creator and ruler of the entire universe.

And yet He has adopted me into His family. He is someone I can talk to about anything. I can expect Him to help me and give me guidance.

Even so, I should never disrespect Him in thought, words or action. I should show reverence and awe in everything I say and everything I do. My inner feelings should honor Him. My thoughts should honor Him.

The Bible often says to fear God. An unbeliever is right to fear God in the normal sense of the word because they are still under God’s wrath. For a follower of God, fear is awe, reverence and honor for all that He is.

It is respect mixed with amazement and wonder. It is worship of someone who is glorious, pure, majestic and powerful. It is to feel those things and to be eternally grateful that One so high above all else would desire so greatly to have us in His family.

He has so much desired us to be with Him that He was willing to sacrifice His only Son on a cross. Through Jesus Christ we were reconciled with the Father. His resurrection assures us His sacrifice was accepted and because He rose again, we will also rise again.

We are going to a kingdom that can never be shaken. It is a kingdom where no bad thing will ever enter its gates. It is beautiful and peaceful. The best thing of all is that we will live eternally with our God.

Have you made your place in this kingdom secure? You can today. Talk with the Father and ask Him to forgive your past, cleanse your heart and fill it with His presence.