Where's My Honor?
Today's Verse:
A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? ~Malachi 1:6
In our devotion this morning, the Lord uses two well-known relationships as analogies to describe the condition at that time between Him and the nation of Judah. These relationships are that of a father to his son and that of a servant to his master. There is an expected code of honor in these relationships. Using these two relationships, God brings two sobering questions: where is the honor and the fear that rightly belongs to Him from His people? This morning, we see God using these analogies to tell His people that their relationship with Him was in trouble.
We see the importance of respect.
A servant has an obligation to do whatever his master requires of him. His code of conduct is to respect the words and wishes of his master. With respect to the Jews, they had no fear or respect for their obligations to God. The service of God was in serious neglect and less than best was being done. There was a slothful approach to serving God. “I’ll do it when I have time.” “Let someone else do it.” In comparing a typical servant to his master, common law employees had more heart in their service to God than the people of God had when it came to serving God. Respect demands that I show courtesy, promptness, attention, and carefulness to the one whom I am serving. Are you a Christian who shows respect to God, God’s servants, and God’s work? Do you treat God’s house with respect? Are you careful with the responsibilities assigned to you? A lack of respect is a lack of good scruples.
We see the imperative of reverence.
A father-son relationship is one of honor. A good son always wants to please his father. A good son makes his father’s desires his highest priority. A son is careful to show honor in public and in private to his father. The Jews dishonored God. Some practiced blended worship where they worshiped idols while maintaining observance of the Jewish feasts. Many had ignored and abandoned tithing. Many were taking God’s name in vain and neglected the praising of God’s name. The reverence of God is an absolute imperative. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. We demonstrate terrible spirituality if we have no fear of God and His name. We demonstrate a low regard for God when we live with an entitlement mindset instead of a entrustment mindset. Reverence is maintaining a spirit of worship at all times. It is sensing God’s presence is always among us and coming with humility and submission always.
We see the implication of rejection.
The Jews despised the name of the Lord. In effect, there was a rejection of God. His authority was rejected. His service was rejected. His Word was rejected. The despising of the name of the Lord resulted in a religion with no heart or care of Who God was. The implication in this was the eventual captivity of the Jews by Babylon. Their rejection of God led to God’s rejection of them.
God is our Father! We have the highest of spiritual relationships in being sons of God. As our Father, He is deserving of our honor and fear at all times. A spirit of irreverence, disloyalty, disobedience, and disaffection is a slap in the face of a holy and righteous God. When we consider how we owe everything we are to God, irreverence of God is a sin.
Have we become too casual with God? Have we become conceited with God? Have we become too critical of God? Let us amend our ways and love our Father!
Have a reverence-filled God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Numbers 31-32