David Anguish
From sermons in the mid-'80s through men's meetings, ladies' meetings, deacons' meetings, elders' meetings, elder-preacher meetings and bulletin articles, one of the recurring themes we have heard addressed over the last decade and a half is reverence. The subject was again prominent in recent deacons' and elder-preacher meetings we attended.
Over the years, we've tried various techniques in an effort to manage the problem. Reports of negative visitor impressions have been conveyed to the congregation. For a while we relied totally on the printed program for song numbers, hoping that, by eliminating as many comments that were not direct statements of praise as possible, we might help things. We've put announcements at the beginning of our service and moved them to the end. We've tried to cut back on the number of announcements (which does not solve the problem of restlessness during the Lord's Supper or sermon). We've tried beginning with a short song and then having a period of silence before continuing our praise. And we've entertained varios suggestions of technique ranging from dimming the lights before we begin, to putting up signs to remind us of our duty, to more forceful encouragement of parents with babies to act more quickly when they are restless, to addressing tardiness (again), to installing a bell to be rung as a signal to begin to focus, and so on.
Several of these techniques and others which could be planned probably have merit. But they will not solve the problem. The reason is in the Bible. Using a computerized version of Nave's Topical Bible, I found literally hundreds of verses under the headings "reverence" and "fear of God." Several lessons come to light from a study of these verses. I'll mention only one.
Under the headings "Reverence for God" and "Reverence for God's house," Nave's lists seven passages. In none of them is there any focus on the kinds of external techniques we often try as a way to create a reverent mood. What the passages do have in common is this: where there was reverence, there was also a keen awareness of God's presence. It might be Abram prostrating himself before the Lord (Genesis 17:3); or Moses being told to remove his sandals because he stood on holy ground (Exodus 3:5); or the shaking of Mount Sinai at the time the 10 Commandments and other teachings of the Mosaic law were given (Exodus 19:19-24; 34:29-35); or a warning to anyone who would quarrel with his Maker (Isaiah 45:9); or the command to keep the Sabbath and honor the tabernacle (Leviticus 19:30; 26:2). In every case, there was a heightened awareness that God was there.
This goes to the heart of the matter, regardless of the age in which God's people live. How often in years gone by did you hear Matthew 18:20 quoted with reference to our assemblies of praise? "For where two or three have gathered in My name, I am there in their midst" (NASB). Have you heard it recently? More to the point, how long has it been since you have consciously thought of that idea on Saturday in preparation for the next day's assembly? On the Lord's Day as you awaken and begin your day? On the drive to our place of worship? As the service begins?
Maintaining a spirit of reverence may be harder for me if services are poorly planned or there are distractions around me (and realistically, some are inevitable), but whether I will have that spirit depends solely on my awareness of God's presence. Let enough of us be focused on God and the issue will be how to effectively convey our feelings of awe, not how to create them.