Today's readings: 2 Samuel 3; 1 Chronicals 12; Matthew 15
Where Is My Heart?
Scripture
Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked him, "Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat."
Jesus replied, "And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? For instance, God says, 'Honor your father and mother,' and 'Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.' But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, 'Sorry, I can't help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.' In this way, you say they don't need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,
"These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship is a farce,
for they teach man-made ideas as
commands from God."
Matthew 15.1-9
Observation
We tend to pick and choose which of God's commandments serve our purposes and obey them when convenient--and often choose to make religious traditions [those things that are not part of the law, but "we have always done it that way"] even more important than God's Word and commandments.
Application (How will I be different today because of what I have just read?)
It is easy for me to begin pointing my finger at others when I read this . . . I know lots of folks that fit this. But, reality is, it fits me too--whether I like to admit it or not.
So today, I have to stop and ask myself some hard questions--What is this saying to me?? And, how will I be different because I recognize myself in it??
It's much easier to point my finger at others rather than make myself face the truth about myself.
What traditions do I put before God's commands? Those that make me happy. Those that I like and make my life easier than obeying God's commands would.
In what ways do I honor God with my lips, but my heart [those words I speak from my heart] dishonors Him? Whenever I gossip about a brother or sister in Christ. Whenever I say hurtful words to others that are not bathed in God's love. When I use God's Word to make a personal point.
How is my worship a farce--therefore dishonoring to God? When I focus on anything other than God. When my worship is centered on what I want and not on what God wants. When I am more concerned about pleasing others (or myself) with my worship--then I am about pleasing God.
What man-made ideas do I teach as commands from God? Whenever I try to make God's Word fit my teaching rather than my teaching fit God's Word.
I have lots of work to do . . . I do not want to be a hypocrite. I want to be pleasing to God. May I take steps today to honor Him with my heart and lips, may my worship be to and for Him and Him alone and may all that I teach be from God's Words and commands.
Prayer
Lord God, this is my prayer today--I want to be pleasing to You in all areas of my life. I know that I need to work on my attitude right now. . .it is not pleasing to You--it doesn not honor You. Forgive me for not having my heart in the right place and being self-centered. Lord, I want to be God-centered. May I bring honor to You in word and deed. May all that I do be worship--bringing You honor and glory. I pray for wisdom as I teach from Your Word. May I use it as You intended and not to my own advantage--or to make my point. Lord God, I need You to fill my life anew with Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for Your Word for me today--may I apply it and look to You for direction as I live it out.
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