PSALM 33:8-9 – Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.

THEME OF THE DAY. IN AWE OF HIS WORD. We are creatures of habit and routine. I smile when I take my place on the Lord’s Day morning in our church’s pulpit and look around at God’s family. Yes, I do “take attendance” and that by simply knowing we are creatures of habit and routine. People tend to sit in the same place, week in and week out. And who doesn’t have a “morning routine” in getting ready for the day? When it comes to habits and routines, they are necessary and helpful. But they also may be serious liabilities especially in spiritual things. We may go to church out of good habit and routine, but due to habit and routine, our attendance becomes mindless and mere function. The same applies in our prayer lives. Think about the times we give thanks over our meals. If we are not careful, the habit and routine of giving thanks to the Lord easily become a thoughtless script with no sense of intimate relationship with the God who has lovingly provided the food. But perhaps the most dangerous spiritual area where habit and routine may drift us into mindless complacency is toward reading and hearing the Word of God.

In today’s scripture, there is a “call to worship” of all creation and inhabitants of the world. One feels the majesty, the weightiness, the joy of everything being called to “stand in awe” of the One who brought all things into being. But the reason for this call to worship; this sense of being overwhelmed by the glory of God in worship is found in what follows – For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm. Worship prompted by His Word. The fear of the Lord fueled by His Word. Being in awe over the God who has spoken.

So, how may we safeguard our good habits and routines of reading and hearing the Word from becoming mindless, lacking awe, and just mindless things we do? Consider developing these two “mind disciplines” every time we read our Bibles or hear it preached.

First, stop and realize what the Bible is. Yes, it is the greatest literary work ever produced, but it is far more. It is the very Word of our God. I know you know that, but don’t let the familiarity of what you know deaden the “awe factor” of what you know. Pause now. Hold your Bible and look at it. You are holding the eternal Word of the Creator. Develop this mindset, and we will safeguard the “awe” of His Word.

Another important truth to keep us in awe of God’s Word is two-fold; realize God has given you the ability by new birth in Christ to understand His Word and He has invited you to know Him through His Word. Grasp this. He has granted you spiritual life to know His Word and know Him through His Word. Not everyone has this. Look around at the people in your life. God has bestowed upon you His grace to understand, interpret, and apply His Word in your life leading to a living relationship with the One who is revealed in His Word. Allow this to renew your mind, and the “awe factor” over His Word will be maintained.

Have habits and routines in life. They are essential, but don’t let habit and routine when it comes to reading and hearing God’s Word become mindless, heartless activities that lessen the “awe factor” toward His Word.

PRAYER: “Father, teach me to be in awe of Your Word every time I read and hear it.”

QUOTE: “Our eagerness to read, hear, and obey God’s Word is related to our awe and delight in it.”