Reverence God: The Fear of the Lord

Reverence God: Do all things in the name of Christ and with an eye single to His glory.

Reverence is a feeling or attitude of deep respect tinged with awe; veneration. Reverence involves a humbling of the self in respectful recognition of something perceived to be greater than one’s self. Reverence for God is associated with the fear of God, and humility before God. Reverence and fear of God is necessary if we are to keep the 3rd commandment to take not the name of God in vain. When we understand the true nature of this commandment, our reverence for God will cause us to be careful how we use the name of God and inspire us to do all we do in the name of Christ (D&C 46:31) with an eye single to his glory. (D&C 4:4-5) 

Reverence for God changes how we pray. Everything about our prayers, how we address God and how we internalize the purpose of prayer changes when knowing and doing his will is at the center of our thoughts and desires. The more we experience the transformative power of Christ's grace and the sweet assurances of the Holy Spirit, the more reverence we have have for God and His name. We learn that we can use his name in holiness to gain greater power to do his will.

“He that asketh in the Spirit asketh according to the will of God; wherefore it is done even as he asketh. And again, I say unto you, all things must be done in the name of Christ, whatsoever you do in the Spirit.” — Doctrine & Covenants 46:31

One prayer that never goes amiss is to pray for spiritual gifts and strength to abide in God’s way. When we ask for what is righteous and is consistent with his will we can be assured that we will receive.

“And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work. Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence. Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” — Doctrine & Covenants 4:4-5

Reverence for the Lord results in a humble submission to His will and his correction. Reverence for the Lord is the thing that prompts us to humbly ask the Lord, "what lack I yet?" And to respond to the answer in submission and a determination to give all our efforts, with the Lord, to obtain that virtue that we lack.

“Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

“For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

“Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

— Hebrews 12:9-11

With an Eye Single to His Glory:

What does is mean to have an "eye sing to" the glory of God, and how does it reverence the Lord? In the restoration of the Church of Christ God proclaims, "Behold, this is my work and my glory, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39) When we reverence God, we reverence his work, which means we place his work at the front of our lives. We can only do this with our eyes "single to" his glory, rather than our own. This phrase, "an eye single to his glory," is found exclusively in the revelations of the restoration, though the idea of it's meaning is found in the new testament as well. 

“The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” — Matthew 6:22-23

However, in the Doctrine and Covenants we first see this description of an "eye single to the glory of God" in D&C 4 when God calls each of us to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.

Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.

Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;

For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;

And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.

Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.

Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen.

It is faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God that qualifies us to do the work of the Lord; and make no mistake, we cannot reverence God and at the same time ignore his work and his glory! When we enter the covenant waters of baptism we are called to the work of the Lord. 

All of the commandments and principles we have studied that fall into the category of commandment number three, take not the name of God in vain, are about a covenant relationship with Christ with power to change our natures and make us a holy people; but if we do these things with no thought to the singular work and glory of God to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man, then we cannot keep the covenant with our God. Therefore, evangelizing the gospel of Christ, ministering to all, and working in the vineyard of the Lord must become our work, our highest priority in life. Reverence for the Lord and HIS NAME brings us into oneness with HIS WORK. So let us serve him with all our hearts, might, minds and strength, and then we will hear our Lord say, "Behold, blessed, saith the Lord, are they who have come up unto this land with an eye single to my glory, according to my commandments... they shall receive a crown in the mansions of my Father, which I have prepared for them." (D&C 59:1-2)