More Hours in the Day

October 31, 2022

Have you ever thought, said, or heard, “There is just not enough time in the day”? Of course you have. We have all felt that way sometimes. But all of us have 24 hours.

This November 6, for us in the middle eastern United States, is known as the day for time change. People commonly say we get an extra hour to sleep or to play or work, depending on our priorities. The return of Standard Time means the sun will rise a little earlier (at least according to our clocks), so if you are an early riser, you will enjoy the rays as you have your breakfast. And you will “gain” one hour.

Many of us wish we could add an hour to each of our days. We feel like it would make life better. But Proverbs 10:27 tells us, “Reverence for God adds hours to each day.” Many say Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived apart from Jesus, and he has helpful insight into using our days well.

Reverence is profound respect and love. So, Solomon is saying that when you have a reverent attitude toward God, honoring Him, expressing your gratitude to Him, and obeying His commandments, you are helping yourself. He also calls us to “fear” the Lord. The biblical writers use fear and reverence interchangeably. Our enemy wants us to take God casually or think that reverence means fear in the way of being afraid. To revere the Lord is not like fearing the dark but as one reveres God as the Creator of the universe. To fear God is to choose to obey Him. This is not fear in the sense of being terrified of evil. It is a posture of deep respect and awe.

How can you practice reverence in the hours of every day you have?

1. Honor His name.

We can revere God today by refusing to use His name in vain (Exodus 20:7). It goes much further than swearing. To take God’s name in vain means to say it meaninglessly and without honor. We revere God when we use His name only to praise Him, proclaim Him as our Savior, or pray. Any other use of His name is abusing His name and not treating it reverently.

In Matthew 6:9, Jesus taught us to begin our prayers by addressing God as “Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name.” or “Let your name be treated with reverence.”

2. Treat yourself and others with honor.

There is no Temple or special building today where God lives. Since Jesus, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). We can revere and honor God by keeping our bodies pure physically (by what we eat and how we treat our bodies), and sexually (by giving our bodies only to our spouse within the context of marriage).

We can also revere God by treating others as well as we treat ourselves. Ephesians 5:21 tells us to “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Clearly, treatment of others in this way is a significant form of worship and reverence to God.

3. Live holy, honorable lives.

Matthew 5:14 records, “Jesus told His followers: ‘You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.’” Philippians 2:15 instructs us to be “blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”

We are reverent and honor God and His Word and His Church in the world when we shine against the backdrop of this murky world, distinguishing ourselves by our words and conduct.

Don’t you want to do that? Why don’t you pray this prayer with me?

Our Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus. I thank You for being a completely holy God who is also completely approachable. You are worthy of all my praise, devotion, and honor. You deserve all my love, allegiance, and worship—no one before You. Thank You for Jesus, my Savior. Help me love and live like Him. Create in me a heart that reveres You more than anything else so that others will see You and find life and hope in this dark and broken world. In the name of and empowerment of Jesus, Your Son. Amen.

Oh, yes—do not forget to set your clocks back and get that extra hour this weekend! 😊