I have been so challenged in recent weeks with the call to honor people. I've learned that the natural outflow of love is honor. Romans 12:9-10 says "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor everyone above yourself." Love and honor are woven together.
I was most challenged by the thought that honor is a language and a lifestyle. Meaning, we honor not only by what we say, but also how we act. Isn't that so true in the way we honor God? Sometimes, it comes easier to honor God with our language, but not so much with our lifestyle.
God had something to say about that in Isaiah 29:13. "The Lord says: 'These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by man.'"
Ouch.
God is worthy of honor through our language and our lifestyle. We are often guilty of honoring Him with our lips, but not with our lives.
We are called to honor Him. True honor is never manipulative. And honoring from pure motive is possible only when we have a proper persepctive of who God is.
Are you guilty of honoring God with your lips, but not with your life? Is there empty worship present in your life?
As we wrap up the subject of honor, I want all of us to be reminded that God is worthy of our honor. We have lowered Jesus to a position of one of many options. And he is not. He is the King of Kings. He is the way, the truth and the life. We are called to HONOR Him. And there will be a day when every knee will bow and He will get the honor that He deserves. So let's start honoring God now. Not just with our lips, but with our lives... because He is worthy.
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