God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be held in reverence by all those around Him” (Ps. 89:7).

Our society has become increasingly more relaxed and casual. This change in attitude is seen in our appearance, heard in our speech, and displayed in our overall lack of respect for various things – including religion. For several years now, various denominational churches have been catering to the “un-churched” (as well as satisfying a growing segment within their own churches) by offering alternative “casual” worship services. They extend an invitation for visitors to “come as they are” and worship God in a relaxed, non-judgmental atmosphere. 

Sound churches of Christ may not be offering casual worship services, but I am afraid this trend has still found its way into some of our assemblies. Sporadic attendance, routine tardiness, casual dress, and a constant parade of folks going to visit the water fountain and bathroom are all evidence of an indifferent attitude toward the assemblies. God is to be held in “reverence,” yet this trend stresses casualness. The words “reverence” and “causal” simply do not go together. It is impossible for one to fear God and hold Him in reverence with a casual attitude.

There are some things that we can do which will help us to reverence God in our assemblies and to worship Him acceptably.

1. Remember the purpose for which we are assembling ourselves together. Brethren sometimes say that they are “going to church.” While we understand what is meant by this popular statement, it fails to convey what we are seeking to accomplish when we assemble ourselves together. A more accurate statement would be that we are “going to worship.” We are not assembling ourselves together to listen to the preacher, to see or be seen, to make others happy, etc. The church assembles together in order to worship God.

2. Remember who God is. None of us has seen God, but the Bible lets us know what it is like to be in the presence of God. When the Lord descended upon Mount Sinai, the sky was filled with lightening, the whole mountain quaked, the top of the mountain was on fire, the smoke ascended thick and black like out of a furnace, and the children of Israel trembled (Exod. 19:16-19). When the prophet Ezekiel saw the Lord coming in a fiery whirlwind, in the brightness of a rainbow, with the noise of a great army, he fell on his face (Ezek. 1:28). When John saw the great throne scene from Heaven he noted that “the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne” (Rev. 4:10). These scenes are recorded to show us the reverence and fear that God’s holiness and majesty demand of us.

3. Remember why God is worthy of our worship. To worship means to show religious devotion or reverence to one. The Bible teaches that God is worthy of such devotion and reverence. “Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness” (Ps. 29:2). Worship is due unto God on our part because He is our Creator (Pss. 100, 95:6-7). We owe our very existence to Him.

4. Respect. In order to worship God acceptably, our hearts must express respect for who God is and the occasion for which we have assembled. God told the prophet Isaiah, “But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word” (Isa. 66:2b). We need to take God and His Word very seriously. When Ezra opened the book of the Law, all the Jews who had assembled “stood up” (Neh. 8:5). Why did they stand up? Why do those in a courtroom stand when the judge enters? Why do all the guests at a wedding stand when the bride walks down the aisle? These actions show respect and honor. We need to learn to show even greater respect and honor for what happens during our worship services.

Respect is shown, in part, by the way that we dress for an occasion. There was a time when people had their “Sunday-go-to-meeting-clothes.” Today, some brethren think nothing of showing up to wait on the Lord’s Table like they are about to mow the lawn (and think nothing of insulting their brethren by dressing in such a shabby manner). Different kinds of attire are appropriate for different occasions. Assembling to offer praise to one’s Creator is not an appropriate time for a Christian to “dress down.”

We also need to show respect for others who have assembled to worship. If you must bring your cell phone to services, please put it on “silent” and put it away in your pocket or purse. If your little one starts to fuss, take him out so that others can hear what is being said. In general, conduct yourself in such a way that contributes to an atmosphere of reverence and respect.

5. Participation. Worship is not a spectator sport. We sometimes hear people refer to the assembled congregation as “the audience.” This word conjures up an idea that we need to get as far away from as possible. God is the audience when we assemble to worship. All of us as worshippers are to join in the singing, follow the thoughts of the man leading the prayer, give of our means, remember the body and blood of the Lord, and listen while the gospel is being preached. It is impossible to reverence God in our worship if we are not actually worshipping.

Conclusion

As our Creator, God has every right to require us to worship Him. His word not only tells us what specific acts define our worship, but how we are to perform them – “with reverence and godly fear” (Heb. 12:28).