Mensa Otabil - Serving God Acceptably
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We read from Hebrews 12:28: «Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.»
As Christians, we belong to a kingdom, and we belong to a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Our world has seen kingdoms in the past; in antiquity, we’ve seen ancient Egypt, a powerful kingdom. We have seen Assyria, Babylon, Greece, and Rome. All of them are gone, and in modern times, we’ve seen great nations that are not as great as they were in the past because kingdoms of this world do not last forever. No earthly kingdom can abide forever. Earthly kingdoms are shaken-they’re shaken by internal weaknesses, external aggression, and they fall. But we belong to a kingdom that cannot be shaken.
Only the kingdom of God is permanent, and the kingdom of God must not be equated to churches or men of God. Christian churches are not the kingdom of God. Christian churches may rise and fall; denominations and sects may rise and fall; men and women of God may come and go. But God remains forever; His kingdom remains forever. And so, when we come to Christ, we must know that although we belong to a church or love some preacher, our relationship is with the kingdom of God, and that kingdom cannot be shaken. No scandal, no attack, no witchcraft-nothing can shake the kingdom of God. It’s like the sun and its presence in the night.
When we go to sleep, we don’t see the sun; the sun is covered; it’s in another part of the world. We don’t feel its warmth, but the fact that we don’t feel its warmth and there is darkness all around does not mean the sun has died. The sun is there, and the sun will shine. Or when it’s raining and the clouds cover the sun, and there is rain, and there is fear, and there are storms in our lives, the sun is still there. That’s how the kingdom of God is. Things may obscure the kingdom of God or the power of God, but He is ever-present. The kingdom of God cannot be removed, and that is where we have come to when the passage says we’ve come to Mount Zion.
That’s what it’s talking аbout: the kingdom of God, which cannot be shaken. Our faith in God is in something that is enduring, permanent, and will not be done away with in time. Because we belong to this kingdom, the Bible says, «Let us serve God with reverence and godly fear.» There is a difference between normal fear and godly fear. Godly fear is when we show deep respect for God. Let’s not take God for granted. Although He will not terrify us and He will not just destroy us, let’s not take Him for granted.
Let us value the relationship He has given to us. Let us value our place in the kingdom of God. Let us value our Christian walk. Let us value the Bible when we read it. Let us value Jesus Christ, our Savior who died for us. Let us value the Holy Spirit who is with us all the time. Let us value all that God has given to us, His grace that is sufficient for us, because all of that belongs to the kingdom that cannot be shaken.
I just want to assure you: you may be going through shaking in your life, but the kingdom of God is not shaking. You may not be seeing God, but He is there for you. You may not feel His presence, but He is there for you. Nothing can shut God out of your life. He loves you, He cares for you, He will bless you, He will do you good, and nothing can stop that because God’s love for you is permanent. May you dwell in this permanence of relationship with God, in Jesus' name.
Let’s pray. Say with me: «Heavenly Father, You are eternal, and Your kingdom is everlasting. Help me to trust You always and in all things. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.»