We all know the name of Jesus. Some people see it as just a name but to others, it is much more than a name. For a believer of Jesus, it is a name that holds a strong power even when it is just called upon! Even though we might know the importance of the name of Jesus, how can we reverence it? Let us take a look at the Bible and see what it tells us!
In our world today, if we were to meet someone in top authority such as a boss, the mayor, or even the president of a country; we would want to give them our respect and not say anything offensive. The same concept applies to the Lord but He is greater than anyone we know for He alone knows our thoughts, desires, and plans. If we give someone our best respect, we should be giving the Lord an even greater respect.
We may wonder why we should give the Lord our utmost respect. 1 Corinthians 8:6 states “yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.” This verse alone tells us that we exist because the Lord said we would and that we are created for His will and purpose. So when we feel like we do not have a purpose and we are insignificant, know that God has created us for a purpose and we are seen as precious and valuable in His eyes.
Since the Lord is Three in One or the Trinity, know that if we respect and reverence the name of Jesus, we are respecting all. If we do not, we are not be respecting all of them. The Trinity is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All these Three work as One and there is no separation between them. With this in mind, this leads into another reason why we should reverence Jesus.
Let us take a look at Exodus 20:7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” What does it mean to take the Lord’s name in vain? It means that we will have little care for His Name. Some examples include hypocrisy, swearing, and personal purpose to prove a point. If we do not regard the Lord as our personal Savior and Lord and use His Name in an unrighteous way, the verse tells us that the Lord will not hold us guiltless.
When we think of a name, we think of the meaning behind the name. For example, if we think of the name of our favorite teacher, we can visualize their name in our mind. We may also remember what they have done for us. Perhaps, they helped you achieve a goal or they taught you a lesson that you will never forget. Their name has become special and we have a respect for that teacher.
When we think of the Lord, what do you think about? Do you view Him as someone to mock or do you view Him as your Lord and Savior? Our perspective will show how much value He is to us. However, when it comes to the Lord, we should give Him our very best because He alone can save and deliver. Beside Him, there is no one else that loves You and cares for you like Jesus. Once we understand what He has done for us, we will never disrespect Him.
On the other hand, what are some ways that we can respect Him? One way is to get to know Jesus on a personal level. The Lord desires that closeness with us and a relationship with the Lord is like nothing else and it is the best relationship we can ever have. Another way to respect Him is to know that He is not the cause of our failures and problems in life. They are a part of life as a result of sin.
Let us picture this: When a parent walks hand in hand with a child and the child falls because of an uneven path, is it the parent’s fault? Of course not! It was because of the path that the child lost their balance. However, the parent is there to comfort and strengthen the child to keep going and to assure, they are not alone. In the same way, we will face trials in our life but if the Lord is with us, we will not walk through this life alone. Remember, He is there to carry us through and we can call always out to Him in prayer. The Lord promises us that He will never leave us or forsake us (Matthew 28:20).
When we truly know the Lord, our life itself will show that we honor and love Him. The Lord is truly worthy of all our glory, honor, and praise. He has created everything we see and know and has a perfect plan for everyone. In addition, He has paid the price so we can be forgiven and spend our eternity with Him. However, it is up to us on whether we will choose the Lord’s way or our way. If we feel like we do not reverence the Lord the way we should, we should take an inventory of what has our attention and refocus it on the Lord instead. We should get to know and love the Lord even more so that we will not be shaken when trials come. When we spend our life reverencing and honoring the Lord, we will receive our reward in Heaven and no one can ever take that away from us.
Thought for the Week: What do you currently do to reverence the Lord? Is there something you can change and how will you do it?