Recently a young man who is a graduate of a Reformed seminary on the East Coast conducted our morning worship service. As the vice-president of our consistory escorted the guest exhorter to the pulpit he said to him, “Our congregation is not accustomed to being greeted with a good morning.” The recent graduate replied, “Of course not, the greeting must come from God, not from man.” The elder was pleased to be able to relate this incident to me and my heart was warmed to hear it.

Upon more than one occasion I have sat uncomfortably in the pew as the guest preacher mounted the pulpit, greeted the congregation with a cheery good morning and then, failing to receive a response from the congregation, repeated his good morning while cupping his hand behind his ear, wrinkling up his face and leaning forward on his toes. I have wondered at times if he were trying to entertain the worshippers or attempting to amuse a restless or crying child.

I have never been able to figure out if it is unawareness of the needs of the congregation or personal pride which leads a man called to serve as God’s ambassador to think that the congregation is more desirous of receiving his personal greeting than they are to receive the blessed salutation of the God whom they have gathered to worship.

I remember well the late Professor Martin Monsma seeking to impress upon us in his course in Liturgics that the man who occupies the pulpit should do nothing to attract attention to himself. The professor went on to say that every part of the worship service should direct attention to the sovereign God of our salvation. How right he was but how often that is forgotten today.

The people who are gathered for an hour of worship and fellowship with their God after coming through a week of strife and struggle against sin and the world are blessed indeed when they are greeted with the blessing of their God. It is the greeting of their God for which their souls hunger and long. It is His greeting which will refresh and prepare them for the hour of worship. This is why they have come to church. This is what they should receive.

The young exhorter was right when he said to the elder, “the greeting must come from God not from man.”