Worship the God of Gods

Deuteronomy 10:12f: "And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good? To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. Yet the LORD set his affection on your forefathers and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations, as it is today. Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes . . . . He is your praise; he is your God."

Here in this passage is the summation of all Scripture, namely that God is Majestic in His Holiness and awesome in His Glory; He is due all praise and obedience simply for who He is. Still, what is truly amazing is that this Supreme God lovingly has set His affection upon His chosen people, desiring to commune with them for all eternity. This is an incredible privilege! Therefore, we in response to such a blessing should desire to love, respect, and obey Him as our personal Lord.

First, we are called to love God. As Christ said in Matthew 10:37, God must be first priority above all other things . . . Husband/wife, children, and even life itself. Our love for God should saturate our souls, for He has first loved us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3) and has demonstrated His love through His offering of Himself as the atoning (and only sufficient) sacrifice for our sins. Whereas God rightfully could have abandoned us to eternal punishment, a fate deserving of a people who have rebelled against His Sovereign Lordship through their sin, He offered His very self to pay for our sin penalty in order that we might be rejoined to Him for all eternity.

Secondly, we are called to fear God as the One True Transcendent Lord. He is not conjoined with His creation but is separate and above His creation and thus is worthy of our worship. God is not just the man upstairs, but the Supreme Sovereign of Everything. His greatness extends beyond the highest heavens and beyond the deepest depths. He is outside of space and time; He knows all things . . . even the thoughts of man. In Revelation 4:11, we find the 24 elders falling down before the throne of God in Heaven, crying out to the Sovereign Lord, "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." Our very purpose and existence were brought to life by the Lord; and for His mighty power, we should respond with awe and reverential respect. John Davis in his Handbook of Basic Bible Texts provides a wonderful perspective on our response to God's aseity (independence [and thus His transcendence]), "In every breath, in every heartbeat, we are dependent upon God for our very life and being. This realization leads not only to humility on the part of the creature, but rightfully is a cause of praise and worship to the Creator."

Thirdly, we are called to obey Him. To obey is to submit to the authority of the One who deserves our surrender, and obedience is the way that we demonstrate our true love for our Lord (see I John 5:3). Our call to obedience is the evidential fruit of a life truly submitted to His Lordship (Romans 6; Matthew 7:15ff; John 8:47).

Lastly, we are called to service. Never are we called to be passive in our profession of Christ. Through word and deed, we are called to be light reflectors of His glorious Light to a darkened world. Proverbs 4:18 tells us that the "path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day." The closer we walk with the Savior, the more we have the ability to reflect His glory to a world that have no connection with Him. Our service to our Master, when done in a spirit of love and gratitude for His amazing grace, will accomplish His purpose to introduce Himself to others. Therefore, "let your light shine before all men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matt. 5:16).

Again, why do we do all this? Because God is the God of gods, the awesome and loving Lord, who not only has the ability to rule over all things but initiated our eternal communion with Him through His sacrificial death and resurrection. To truly worship the God of gods is to make Him the object of our total praise.