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Reverence-Part I


A few weeks ago I chanced upon a Facebook post that generated several interesting comments a few of which I have pasted below. At some point I thought of jumping into the debates but caution got the better of me. It started off like this;


The song in question is by Reuben Kigame and goes something like this:
Tunaomba uwepo wako uende nasi (We pray for your presence to go with us )
Ewe Bwana wa majeshi utusikie (Oh Lord of Hosts, listen to us)
Kama huendi nasi, hatutaki kutoka hapa (If you won’t go with us, we don’t want to leave)
Hatuwezi pekee yetu, enda nasi ( We can’t by ourselves, go with us)
Tu watu wa shingo ngumu tusamehe (We are a stubborn people, forgive us )
Hatufai mbele zako, turehemu ( We are undeserving, redeem us)
Tusafishe ee Baba, tuonyeshe uso wako (Cleanse us Father, show us your face )
Twahitaji neema yako, enda nasi (We need your grace, go with us  )
Chorus:
Tutavua mapambo yetu, (We shall remove our ornaments )
Vitu vyote vya thamani kwetu (Everything  we value )
Mioyo yetu twaleta mbele zako (Our hearts we bring before you  )
Tutakase na utembee nasi (Cleanse  us and walk with us)
Tunaomba utuonyeshe njia zako (We pray that you show us your ways  )
Kwa maana umetuita kwa jina ( For you have called us by your name )
Twalilia Ee Bwana, utukufu na uso wako (We cry for your glory and your face Oh Lord)
Bila wewe tutashindwa, enda nasi (Without you Lord we shall be defeated, go with us )
 But it is these comments that seemed to sum up the thinking behind the conversation.
 
So there you are. What do you think?

It is often that I have heard some Christians imply in their talk that God has changed His character from the days of Moses. That in the post-Jesus era He is somewhat kinder and more gentlemanly than He previously was. This is an interesting debate and we shall be considering it in a short while. There are also, a big number of Christians who have never bothered to read through the books of the Old Testament. They deem it largely irrelevant to their daily life. We shall also consider their argument. In Kigame’s song above some phrases strike an unfamiliar cord with a good number of Christians. Others like the ones commenting in the FB posts above consider the lyrics archaic, even unpleasant. I believe the song was inspired by something many have lost or have never experienced-reverence for God. I encountered this word recently in the following piece.


I know that whatever God does,
It shall be forever.
Nothing can be added to it,
And nothing taken from it.
God does it, that men should fear before Him. Ecclesiastes 3:14 NKJV
Other versions put the last phrase as, “….so that men should be in awe of Him”. Others simply state, “…so that men should revere him”.
The word revere is used interchangeably with fear and at times with worship. To revere could also mean to venerate or to hold in the highest regard.
However there are many who see no reason to ‘fear’ God because as the FB comment so eloquently put it, “We are living in the dispensation of grace”.
Of these opposing sides, which one appeals to you the most?


























































































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