Revere | Awe in a casual age
"Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. For our God is a consuming fire." – Hebrews 12:28–29
"Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. For our God is a consuming fire." – Hebrews 12:28–29
When I was a teenager, I helped out at the summer New Wine festival as a junior leader with the younger age group. One night in the worship, God took my feet out from under me. It wasn’t something I had been wanting and so I stood back up fairly quickly.
Except, He did it again, and that time I fell forward, face-down, undone.
It was one of those moments you can’t manufacture.
The Spirit of God had moved in such a way that my only response was to fall flat—overwhelmed by His presence.
No words. Just awe.
We live in a world that’s casual with everything.
Casual clothes.
Casual dating.
Casual Christianity.
But God is not casual. He is holy.
And if we’ve forgotten what it means to revere Him, perhaps it’s time to remember.
Reverence Isn’t Fear of Punishment—It’s Awe at Perfection
To revere God isn’t to live in constant anxious dread, fearing that He’s just waiting to punish us for our mistakes. No, that’s not the kind of fear we’re talking about here. The reverence God desires from us is far deeper. It’s a heart-stopping, jaw-dropping awe at the perfection of who He is.
To revere God is to come to the realisation that He is other—utterly distinct from us. He’s not our peer, someone we can casually relate to on the same level. He’s not our pet, something we can control or bend to our will. He’s not just a polite idea to keep on the shelf until Sunday rolls around.
God is awe-inspiring, and reverence flows from that understanding. The kind of reverence that arises when we recognise that He is perfectly holy, infinitely wise, and beyond our comprehension.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Proverbs 9:10)
But this fear isn’t something that paralyses us or keeps us stuck in guilt and shame. It’s not about shrinking back in terror. Instead, this fear clarifies. It clears away the distractions and confusion, making us realise how small we are in comparison to His greatness. This kind of reverence pulls your shoulders back and causes your knees to bend low—not out of fear of punishment, but out of the recognition of Who. He. Is.
Reverence Starts with Right Vision
This kind of reverence begins with having the right vision of God. And it’s not something that just happens on its own. It’s something we have to intentionally look for, seek out, and open our eyes to. Isaiah had that vision. In the temple, he saw the Lord seated on His throne, high and exalted. The train of His robe filled the entire temple—His very presence was overwhelming. And around Him, the seraphim were crying, “Holy, holy, holy,” over and over again, a declaration of His absolute perfection.
And in that moment, Isaiah was undone. His only response was, “Woe is me!” (Isaiah 6:5a).
Isaiah’s vision of God shattered any sense of self-sufficiency or pride. The sight of God in His full majesty and holiness put everything into perspective for him. And yet, in that dismantling moment, God didn’t leave him in his brokenness. That same awe that humbled him also began to rebuild him. It realigned his heart with the truth of who God is and the role he was meant to play in His plan.
Reverence has that same effect on us. It reorients our lives and hearts. It reminds us of who God is—and more importantly, it reminds us of who we’re not. In the presence of God, we’re reminded that we are not in control. We are not the ones who hold the universe in place. We are not the centre of it all. But that’s okay. Because reverence helps us realise that we weren’t meant to be.
Reverence doesn’t crush us—it frees us.
It helps us see the world and ourselves in the right light, with the awe and wonder that only God can inspire. When we experience this kind of awe, it doesn’t diminish us; it draws us closer, reminding us that we were created to live in relationship with a God who is holy, perfect, and worthy of all our worship.
Why This Matters Now
We’ve become proficient at “Jesus is my friend.”
But we’ve forgotten He’s also the Lion of Judah.
Too many hearts are bored in worship.
Too many mouths speak His name without trembling.
But those who revere Him?
They walk in wisdom.
They tremble at His Word.
They live alert and awake, honouring His presence. Expectant to see Him shake things up and be God in their midst.
“This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at My word.” – Isaiah 66:2
May we be those ones. Oh Lord, let us see You for who You are.
A Prayer to Receive What You Need
God, forgive me for approaching You casually, thoughtlessly, cheaply.
I want to see You rightly. To honour You deeply.
Restore to me the awe of Your presence and the wonder of Your name.
May my heart tremble, not in fear of rejection—but in awareness of Your glory.
Teach me what it means to revere You in word, worship, in every way. Amen.
When was the last time you felt awe before God?
What might help restore that sense of reverence?
Next week: Reverence that reshapes the way we live.
Until then—may you not rush past holiness, but bow low and look high.
With awe and affection,
Em
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Thank you for this powerful reflection. It captures the depth and beauty of reverence—not as fear of punishment, but as awe at God’s perfection. It reminded me how much we need to recover that holy trembling.
But as I sat with your words, I kept thinking: the real challenge for many of us isn’t agreeing with this vision—it’s getting ourselves into the place where reverence can actually take root.
We’re so used to moving fast, speaking casually, multitasking even in worship. Reverence doesn’t thrive in clutter or noise. It needs space, stillness, intention. That’s the hard part. Not the idea of reverence, but the practice of it.
It might mean unlearning our habits of distraction. Or choosing silence before God even when we feel nothing. Or allowing Scripture to strike us instead of skimming it. It takes courage to let ourselves be small, honest, and receptive.
Thank you again for writing this. It called something deep to attention. And I hope we keep asking not just what reverence is—but how we begin to live it.
Thank you, Em! I was able to gain clarity and confirmation in how I've been approaching my time with God; my heart posture and intent. This was so good!