Moments of Reverence

An infant is taken to the front of the church by its parents. As the minister welcomes the tiny throng, everyone focuses on this portion of the family, as wider family sit in cherished wonder. The couple gives over their little bundle and the delighted minister dedicates the baby to God in the tradition of the church. It’s a wonderful occasion of reverent worship as one and all recognise where this new being comes from, and belongs, eternally. All who are there in attendance promise to care.

It’s a moment like this or a baptism that intuit for me something so special and sacrosanct in God it usually brings me to tears beyond emotion. I feel the awe of God press right in over me and the significance of the moment—in the eternal—hold sway. For this time at least I’m in the lap of God’s will, worshipping him in truth, almost as a spectator of my own perception.

When a solemn moment of reflection is joined with the very real Presence of God’s Spirit we’re infused with reverence and brought in a second to a holy congruence that’s so hard to hold. A place like this—heaven—is but a glimpse of our destiny. Once tasted it’s going to drive us right back there. Nothing could ever compare or would ever compete.

And life turns on a ten-cent piece. Everything we ever knew was so totally nothing in comparison with that few seconds in the holy Presence of God.

There are moments in life and there are “moments.” Some are ho-hum, others are hardly believable for their significance; the latter holds as those to be reverenced i.e. from God. Yet, every moment is special, holy, wondrous.

Better one day in God’s court than thousands elsewhere (Psalm 84:10). The nature of moments of reverence is they hardly last. The moment is uncontainable. We accept and move on knowing we had them. We thank God for them. We hope for more.

© S. J. Wickham, 2009.