The Prince and I

In 1996, I was privileged to receive the prestigious international Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion. As part of the honor, Vonette and I went to Buckingham Palace to meet with Prince Philip and Sir John Templeton.  Because we were meeting royalty, we were very conscious of our appearance and our behavior.

Do we have less concern when we come before our Sovereign God, the ruler of the universe?  He deserves much more reverence and respect than any human being who ever lived! He is not the “man upstairs.”  He is the great, holy, righteous, all-powerful, loving, creator God.

Many Scripture passages tell us to fear God. King David writes, “Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling” (Psalm 2:11).  Solomon explains, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10, NIV).  Fearing God does not mean to be afraid of God, but rather to express reverential awe and deep respect before Him.

Vonette and I get on our knees every morning to praise and worship God out of reverential awe for Him.  I encourage you to examine:

• How you come before God:  Do you bow your head or kneel out of respect?

• How you honor His name:  Do your words and actions make it clear to others that you really believe His name is sacred?  Do you ever misuse the name of Jesus?  Do you ever financially support movies that misuse His holy name?

• How you respect His Word:  Do you read it daily?  Do you study it?  Do you memorize it?  Is it your standard for daily conduct?  Is it your source for discerning truth?

In your daily quiet time with Him, give Him the honor He deserves.  Seek to spend more time worshiping Him than asking for your own needs.

By Bill Bright

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