Reverence At Worship
E. Husband. Leviticus 19:30 You shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD. There are some who, when they behave irreverently in church, think that, after all, it is only a matter that concerns themselves. That if they do not behave well, "that's," as they term it, "their own look-out." Of all the mistakes of which a man could be guilty, this is, I think, one of the greatest. Do you think that when you behave badly in church you wilt, at the day of account, only have that one sin of your own to answer for? Let me tell you this — that every sin of irreverence adds to you a mountain of sins for which you will have to give account at the Day of Judgment. Let me illustrate my meaning. You come to a service and behave badly. There are people, good people, sitting or kneeling around you. They have come to church to worship, but they see your bad behaviour and are upset by it. They try to pray, but through your bad behaviour they cannot do so. They try to join in the service but find it almost impossible. It is a wasted service to them. They feel angry: it is a Sunday service gone for ever, never to be re-lived so far as that Sunday service is concerned, spoiled for them by you. Who will have to answer for that at the Day of Judgment? Not they, but you! (E. Husband.) Parallel Verses KJV: Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD. WEB: "'You shall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary; I am Yahweh.