Reverence for God Friendship with the Lord is reserved for those who fear him. (Psalm 25:14) Years ago I had friends in college who liked to call God “Daddy” during their prayers. They pointed out that when Jesus prayed “Abba, Father,” he was using a term of endearment. In effect, he was calling God “Dad.” It was a common phrase in Jewish culture. They took this idea and made it their own. My friends had good hearts, and I’m sure God knew that. But something about their prayers made me uncomfortable. I couldn’t really put my finger on it, though. Their prayers went something like this: “Hey, Dad, this is me, Randy. You know I have this test coming up, and I could really use your help. And thanks for letting me meet Sandy. I really like her. She’s pretty cool. I’m thinking of taking her out sometime. Let me know what you think …. Anyway, I gotta go to class, so see you later. Love you, Daddy! Talk to you later.” It wasn’t as if these types of prayers were offensive to me, they just didn’t feel right. There was a casualness to them that I wasn’t used to. In some ways I wondered if it wasn’t simply a backlash against the rigid, formal prayers that they had grown up with. And there seemed to be a sense of competition developing to see who could be the least formal. One friend decided that he would no longer bow his head or close his eyes during prayers, and others quickly took the same approach. There’s nothing inherently offensive about any of this. I’ve always taken comfort in the father-heart aspect of God, and I love the idea of seeing him as our Father. I’m thrilled that we are able to connect with God on a real and personal level. Yet somehow it seems that in our effort to embrace the nearness of God, we have run the risk of overlooking his holiness. While it is true that God is our Father, he is also the Creator of the universe. The maker of heaven and earth. “Friendship with the Lord is reserved for those who fear him,” writes David” (Psalm 25:14). A reverence for God’s deity and supremacy is critical to a deep relationship with him. He is our Father, but he is also worthy of our respect and honor. When we become too casual in our relationship with him, we tend to forget who God is. He is the God of Abraham and Isaac. The great “I Am.” The One who is, who always was, and who always will be. The King of glory!
Today’s Reading Psalm 24:1-10; 25:14 Reflection As you read David’s psalms to God, what type of relationship do you sense he had? Do you feel that you have the same reverence for God as he did?
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