With Reverence and Godly Fear

In Heb 12.28, this morning (well, afternoon, I had a redeye from LAX to TPA). The writer to Hebrews says that our desire ought to be to receive the grace of God so that we may serve God "with reverence and godly fear." It's interesting that he connects grace with the ability to serve. Our service comes from the grace that God provides and it should be marked by reverence and godly fear. Our culture tends to play down the reverence and godly fear stuff and we like to approach God as if he were our buddy, buddy friend (witness the rap song lyrics: "Who's in the house? J.C."). We fall short here, I think because our age does not understand the weightiness of God and the gravity of serving him. How do I know this weightiness? I certainly didn't figure it out myself. The very next words penned from the author of Hebrews: "For our God is a consuming fire."