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I recall as a youth seeing older men in our worship assemblies get down on their knees when there was public prayer being led. I guess that dates me, especially since it has been years and years since I witnessed this. I admit I don't know the motives of the men who made such a display, but in retrospect, I think I like what they did. Today's message will deal with similar wisdom I saw recently.

Something that I saw, in fact, something that I experienced recently reminded me of those days when men knelt in prayer. Much like most groups of worshipers, the church where I assemble on Sunday morning has a format or sequence of worship. This format deals with what is done as well as the sequence in which these things are done. We sing, pray, read scripture, partake of the Lord's Supper, and give of our means. There is no stated rule of how these things are done, but tradition holds sway as in most places. Sometimes as a member of the audience, the song director will say, as he announces the hymn to be sung, “If you care too, you may stand.” However, almost never do we stand for any other part of the worship. The wisdom I wish to focus on today came from a young man and it had to do with the practice of standing during parts of our worship assembly.

Like I say, he was a young man, perhaps in his mid twenties. He is a talented and conscientious song director and he is “in the rotation” to lead our song service from time to time. As the song director, he is responsible to announce what songs to sing as well as what the sequence of worship will be as the congregants continue their worship together. One of his duties is to announce that a preselected individual will read aloud a certain portion of scripture. On this particular Sunday, Sean announced that the reading of the scripture was to occur next in order of worship, but he also announced something else; He said, “Please stand for the reading of the Scripture and remain standing for the prayer to follow.” This was not in our routine, but it wonderfully impressed me! I wish to comment on that impression.

I was impressed because it reminded me of the public display of prayer when I was a young boy. It impressed me because a young man had enough courage to change the rules a bit and invite others to participate publicly in an act that showed reverence to God. It impressed me because it brought to mind what a group of worshipers did once as recorded in the Old Testament. “ Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads. Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for one-fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God.” (Nehemiah 9.1-3; emphasis mine, jb).

We stood, at the most, for 10 minutes that day; the people referred to in the book of Nehemiah stood for one fourth of the day while the scriptures were being read. I don't know for certain why they stood, but I think I have a pretty good idea; I think it was a public show of reverence. I also know why Sean asked us to stand (I spoke with him later about it). It was refreshing to see such a public display, especially in a climate where political correctness seemingly rules everything from our speech to our attire. God, if He is mentioned at all, is either mentioned in derision or in some “namby-pamby, warm and fuzzy, feel good, my buddy, your buddy, everybody's buddy” sort of way! What happened to the God that was literally awesome in the Old Testament? Does he still live? Yes, He lives, but to a large measure the ability to be awed has departed from the spirit of the American culture. Thank you Sean!

Questions:

1. What is the purpose of worship? Is reverence implied by the concept of true worship?

2. What part should feelings, if any, have in our worship assemblies? Does God accept worship apart from that which originates in the heart? Is it OK to feel awed in God's presence?

3. Why do you think I would say, “...to a large measure the ability to be awed has departed from the spirit of the American culture”? Do you agree or disagree? Why?

4. Do you think it takes courage to go against the stream of political correctness and reverence God?

"Voice of Inspiration" from Andy Castro

A Lot Of Salt