Reverence in Worship.

Reverence in Worship
R. J. Evans

"God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those who are around Him" (Psa. 89:7).
 
One of the most vitally important lessons to be learned in the church today is that of reverence. "Reverence" means "profound respect, affection, veneration" (Webster). Worship is not an accidental, hit or miss exercise. It is a holy privilege involving preparation, concentration, consecration, and meditation.
 
God required reverence during Old Testament times (Ex. 3:5). Likewise, He requires fear and reverence of New Testament Christians today. "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, For our God is a consuming fire" (Heb. 13:28-29).
 
How can we "serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear" in our worship services?
 
1. By entering into the worship with joy and gladness. "I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go into the house of the Lord'" (Psa. 122:1). We, too, should come to the worship services with joy and gladness of heart! The song leader is ready and prepared to sing, the preacher is ready and prepared to preach, and all the worshipers are ready and prepared to worship. Let all worship God joyfully together with reverence and Godly fear.
 
2. By being silent. "But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him" (Hab. 2:20). Silence is an excellent way of showing respect. Most of us have been in a stadium when, out of respect for people who had lost their lives, "a moment of silence" was observed in their memory as a means of showing respect. Silence in the presence of the dead at a funeral indicates respect for the the occasion and for the deceased person and his family. It seems to help by having a few moments of silence just before our worship begins. It is good to form the habit of being seated a few moments before it is time to start the service, being silent and preparing our minds and hearts to be ready for reverent worship. It is important for parents to teach their children so that they learn to be silent during worship.   
 
3. By being orderly. Christians are commanded to "Let all things be done decently and in order" (1 Cor. 14:40). This applies to worship. While worship should not be so ritualized as to destroy the very simplicity and spirit of our worship (Jn. 4:24), there should be enough orderliness to maintain reverence. That is why we have assignments given ahead of time to eliminate any confusion as to what men are taking part in leading the worship. Our overall demeanor in worship should manifest respect. Why do we stand when a bride walks down the isle or when a judge enters the courtroom? To show respect! Truly, it is to be a special, serious, reflective, respectful, reverent period when we come to worship God Almighty.
 
There are others ways that indicate respect for God and the occasion when we come to worship---our dress, our behavior, our demeanor, our attitude, etc. May this brief article encourage us to worship the Lord "in spirit and truth" (Jn. 4:24). And in so doing, may we always have reverence for Him.

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