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Reverence for God’s Representatives, October 8
Reverence in My Life
And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers,
rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his
people, and on his dwelling place: but they mocked the messengers
of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until
the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no
remedy.
2 Chronicles 36:15, 16
Reverence should be shown for God’s representatives—for ministers,
teachers, and parents who are called to speak and act in His stead. In the
respect shown to them He is honored.
The education and training of the youth should be of a character that
would exalt sacred things and encourage pure devotion for God in His
house. Many who profess to be children of the heavenly King have no
true appreciation of the sacredness of eternal things....
They are seldom instructed that the minister is God’s ambassador,
that the message he brings is one of God’s appointed agencies in the
salvation of souls, and that to all who have the privilege brought within
their reach it will be a savor of life unto life or of death unto death....
Many ... make the service a subject of criticism at home, approving
a few things and condemning others.... In regard to the service of the
sanctuary, if the speaker has a blemish, be afraid to mention it. Talk only
of the good work he is doing, of the good ideas he presented, which you
should heed as coming through God’s agent....
Unless correct ideas of true worship and true reverence are impressed
upon the people, there will be a growing tendency to place the sacred
and eternal on a level with common things, and those professing the truth
will be an offense to God and a disgrace to religion. They can never,
with their uncultivated ideas, appreciate a pure and holy heaven, and be
prepared to join with the worshipers in the heavenly courts above, where
all is purity and perfection, where every being has perfect reverence for
God and His holiness.
Paul describes the work of God’s ambassadors as that by which every
man shall be presented perfect in Christ Jesus.
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