Isaiah 29

Isaiah 29:13 NIV

The Lord says:
"These people come near to me with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship of me
is based on merely human rules they have been taught.

Israel is practicing all the sacrifices and offerings. They are doing all the religious stuff. They know the right language, do the right things, perform the right activities, but their heart is far from God. It is possible to be in church every time the doors are open, give our tithes and offerings, pray lofty prayers and use holy sounding words and never know God. It's possible to have our theology down, quote biblical texts and contemporary evangelical authors, and listen to Christian radio and still not love God. Unless we love the things God loves and hate the things God hates, unless our lives are driven by a passion to know and be known by our Lord, unless our faith and our worship is about something more than ourselves can we really say that we know God?

Father, I am so grateful for your patience, mercy and grace toward me. May my faith and practice never be empty ritual. May I grow deeper in love with you every day of my life.

By His grace,
Rick Weinert
District Superintendent
EFCA Northern Mtn District