Thoughts on Reverence

Tuesday, May 21, 2002

Fools In the Sanctuary

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. (Eccl. 5:1, 2)

"Keep thy foot" is equivalent to our modern statement "Watch your step." The Psalmist used a similar statement when he said, "I have refrained my feet from every evil way." (Ps. 119:101). God's house is to be reverenced! Our every thought and action should be towards keeping it that way. However, the fool enters in unaware. When they enter "the house of God," they do not keeping their "feet" and being "talk to much." Unaware of the presence of God, their thoughts are upon earthly things, and consequently their words are often rash, hasty, and many. Those who attend church in this manner, often speak of common and worldly thinks, and are here classed as "fools."

One great writer wrote, "We should come with reverence to the study of the Bible, feeling that we are in the presence of God. All lightness and trifling should be laid aside." --Messages to Young People, p. 261.
 

Wednesday, May 15, 2002

Conduct in the House of God

"Be still and know that I am God."

(Psalm. 46:10)

Jimmy Carter, the former President of the United States of America, spoke in Cuba just recently. While he spoke before the people, not a sound was heard. But today, it is alarming to see children, youth and adults so out of order as they worship in the house of the Lord, before the King of the Universe. While the Word is being broken, it is common to see the people reading, whispering and laughing.

"Children and youth [and adults] should never feel that it is something to be proud of to be indifferent and careless in meetings where God is worshiped. God sees every irreverent thought or action, and it is registered in the books of heaven. He says, "I know thy works." Nothing is hid from His all-searching eye. If you have formed in any degree the habit of inattention and indifference in the house of God, exercise the powers you have to correct it, and show that you have self-respect. Practice reverence until it becomes a part of yourself." Message to Young People, p. 266.

Do not have so little reverence for the house and worship of God as to communicate with one another during the sermon. If those who commit this fault could see the angels of God looking upon them and marking their doings, they would be filled with shame and abhorrence of themselves. God wants attentive hearers. It was while men slept, that the enemy sowed tares.

Let us purpose in our hearts to give God all the praise, glory and honor He deserves.

Monday, May 13, 2002

Thoughts on Reverence

On one day last week, I stopped by 17 churches of different denominations. It took me less than 1 hour. The churches where densely packed on two Brooklyn streets. I wasn't surprised by their close proximity, with some next door to each other, but I was deeply depressed by the lack of reverence that I found. I couldn't believe how far we had come as a people from reverencing the Lord's house. As one of my daughter's teacher once told me, "This is America and we can worship anyhow we please." What a statement, since Jesus said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven," (Matt. 7:21). By this statement, Jesus alluded to the fact that it is not our will, but God's will that must be done.

Scripture is so clear. It says, "Be still and know that I am God," (Psalm. 46:10). "The LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him," (Habakkuk 2:20). "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground," (Exodus 3:5).

What has happened to showing God reverences? What has happened to the sanctity of the temple?

My friends, true worship is the act of paying reverence and honor to the Creator, and can only be acquired through spiritual training. It is an attitude of respect for the sacred. It cannot be forced. It isn't something that we put on when we enter our churches, but rather how we view God each and every day. Reverence is a transformation of our minds and hearts as we are moved by the stimuli of the great and mighty God.

Today, walk with the Lord and be a blessing to someone else.