The Awe Of God, The Shame Of Our Sin

A good friend of mine told me that when we think about reverting back to our old way of life we must think of the awe of God and then the shame of our sin. Here are a few verses that deal with God's awesomeness:

Psalms 97 — ESV
The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him and burns up his adversaries all around. His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory. All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods! Zion hears and is glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments, O LORD. For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. O you who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!

Job 42:1-6 — ESV
Then Job answered the LORD and said: "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 'Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.' I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes."

God is the owner of my life. It doesn't belong to me to do with it what I want. If God were to treat me like Job, he would be perfectly just in doing so. I could not question him or demand an answer from him. God is the Lord over every aspect of our lives. We will one day have to give an account for how we lived our lives. Those who have obeyed God will go to heaven. Those who have disobeyed him will rise and will be judged. It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.