DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- VAIN WORSHIP

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – VAIN WORSHIP

"He answered and said to them, 'Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:  "This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.  And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."  For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men – the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.' "  (Mark 7:6-8) 

It is vain worship to go through the motions of religion when our hearts are far from God.  That happens when we get caught up in the traditions and lose sight of true worship.  

How often do we go through the rituals of worship and our hearts and minds are far away.  We go through the liturgy – and every church has its liturgy or form of worship – but we are not really engaged in it.  We sing the songs out of habit while we are thinking of many other things.  We say the prayers as a form.  We give our money out of duty because it is a part of our tradition.   We listen to the sermon – half-way – without our hearts really being open to hear what God is saying.  

Maybe I am only speaking from my own failure, but I doubt it.  Going to church can be just a form of a tradition I have without really impacting my life.

  

In His conversation with the Samaritan woman, Jesus said that the Father is seeking people who will worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24).  This was in response to the woman talking about worshiping in this mountain or another (vs. 20).  She was caught up in the tradition of going to Mt. Gerazim to worship.  Jesus said that the tradition is not the important thing.  It is a matter of the heart. Otherwise, our worship is vain – empty tradition. 

May our worship be heart-worship – not just keeping some traditions.  That is what God loves.  We have not worshiped if we have just fulfilled an obligation or duty.  True worship happens when we encounter the living Christ.  

Love,  Dad