“For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”
(Hosea 6:6, ESV)
(Hosea 6:6, ESV)
In the days of Hosea, the prophet, Israel and Judah had sinned greatly against the Lord. Despite that sin, they continued to worship, sing praises to God, and make their burnt offerings and sacrifices. Though living in sin, the people continued their religious practices. Rather than engendering a love of God, these religious practices just became rituals. The heart of the people was not with God.
Have you ever just “gone through the motions” with God? Has worship ever become a series of rituals rather than a time of communion with God? In the days of Hosea, the Israelites became very good at ritualistic “religious” worship. In our scripture for today, Hosea proclaimed God’s rejection of their ritualism: “I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6). The ritualistic worship of Israel made them appear righteous. Outwardly, a visitor may conclude they were very pious and faithful. The truth was that the Israelites were simply fulfilling their religious obligations without their heart and soul being involved. Even their sacrifices of burnt offerings did not please God. God could see their hearts were not in the right place. They spent more time making their offerings than learning the knowledge of God. They spent more time looking religious than being faithful.
When your worship of God becomes mere ritual, God will soon reject your “religious-appearing” false-righteousness. God wants a real relationship with you!
After attending church one Sunday morning, a little boy knelt at his bedside that night and prayed, "Dear God, we had a good time at church today--but I wish you had been there!" Though the boy’s prayer is innocent and precious, I fear there is a real spark of truth in his words. After visiting worship, how many visitors might reflect by thinking, “I wish God had been there!”? Let’s be honest, sometimes when you visit a church, and it doesn’t feel like God is there. Though the sanctuary might be filled with the singing of hymns and statues of the saints, the worship doesn’t feel holy. It doesn’t feel spiritually uplifting. This may be due to the worshippers just going through the motions, religiously. It may be that they have become ritualistic. Their prayers have become mechanical. Those gathered may not even be contemplating the words of the hymns they sing! They are going through the motions. On the other hand, you yourself may have become a little too ritualistic in your spiritual life. Maybe the church is full of the Spirit, but you have lost the desire to be there. Your heart and soul are just not involved. When you fail to connect with God, is it that your church is having a spiritual problem or are you?
I was at a Worship Committee meeting one evening. After reading the minutes and beginning our work, a member of the committee asked to speak. He began to recount how awful worship had been for the past two months. He complained that the sermons were dry, the hymns were poorly chosen, and the pastor seemed confrontational. After going on and on for a good five minutes, the committee looked at me for a response. They were dreading a confrontation. I felt God telling me to just keep quiet. Then, after a few moments, another member of the committee spoke saying, “Charlie, I was at all these worship services, too, and I enjoyed every single one. I did not feel the sermons were boring but inspirational! I thoroughly enjoyed the hymns. I thought the services were more uplifting than usual!” After hearing this, I could see the Charlie reevaluating himself. I turned to him and said, “Charlie, are you alright? I’m sorry you didn’t get anything out of the recent worship. I hope things turn around for you. We all do.” Instead of a confrontation with the pastor being on the hot seat, members of that committee offered real love. Each approached Charlie over the following weeks and made a point to chat with him and be encouraging. We never did find out why Charlie lashed out. However, it was painfully obvious that it wasn’t the church or pastor with a spiritual problem. Charlie was the one going through the motions in his faith journey. We wanted to help ameliorate that with God’s help.
God doesn’t want you just going through your spiritual life on autopilot. God wants you engaged. When your faith life becomes mere ritual, things need to change. Shake things up in your spiritual life! Find out what if something is wrong. Seek God’s guidance. Examine your soul. Talk to those who are truly faithful. Try meditating on a new Bible passage or start reading a new devotional book. Sit in a different place in the sanctuary. Join a new group. Start a new mission work. Start some new spiritual habits! Don’t let mere ritual ever define your relationship with God.
When your passion for Jesus goes missing, it won’t be long before you will be numb to all of God’s wonderful actions around you! God forbid that ever happens to you! Life is too short to waste it in a ritualistic funk!
Have you ever just “gone through the motions” with God? Has worship ever become a series of rituals rather than a time of communion with God? In the days of Hosea, the Israelites became very good at ritualistic “religious” worship. In our scripture for today, Hosea proclaimed God’s rejection of their ritualism: “I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6). The ritualistic worship of Israel made them appear righteous. Outwardly, a visitor may conclude they were very pious and faithful. The truth was that the Israelites were simply fulfilling their religious obligations without their heart and soul being involved. Even their sacrifices of burnt offerings did not please God. God could see their hearts were not in the right place. They spent more time making their offerings than learning the knowledge of God. They spent more time looking religious than being faithful.
When your worship of God becomes mere ritual, God will soon reject your “religious-appearing” false-righteousness. God wants a real relationship with you!
After attending church one Sunday morning, a little boy knelt at his bedside that night and prayed, "Dear God, we had a good time at church today--but I wish you had been there!" Though the boy’s prayer is innocent and precious, I fear there is a real spark of truth in his words. After visiting worship, how many visitors might reflect by thinking, “I wish God had been there!”? Let’s be honest, sometimes when you visit a church, and it doesn’t feel like God is there. Though the sanctuary might be filled with the singing of hymns and statues of the saints, the worship doesn’t feel holy. It doesn’t feel spiritually uplifting. This may be due to the worshippers just going through the motions, religiously. It may be that they have become ritualistic. Their prayers have become mechanical. Those gathered may not even be contemplating the words of the hymns they sing! They are going through the motions. On the other hand, you yourself may have become a little too ritualistic in your spiritual life. Maybe the church is full of the Spirit, but you have lost the desire to be there. Your heart and soul are just not involved. When you fail to connect with God, is it that your church is having a spiritual problem or are you?
I was at a Worship Committee meeting one evening. After reading the minutes and beginning our work, a member of the committee asked to speak. He began to recount how awful worship had been for the past two months. He complained that the sermons were dry, the hymns were poorly chosen, and the pastor seemed confrontational. After going on and on for a good five minutes, the committee looked at me for a response. They were dreading a confrontation. I felt God telling me to just keep quiet. Then, after a few moments, another member of the committee spoke saying, “Charlie, I was at all these worship services, too, and I enjoyed every single one. I did not feel the sermons were boring but inspirational! I thoroughly enjoyed the hymns. I thought the services were more uplifting than usual!” After hearing this, I could see the Charlie reevaluating himself. I turned to him and said, “Charlie, are you alright? I’m sorry you didn’t get anything out of the recent worship. I hope things turn around for you. We all do.” Instead of a confrontation with the pastor being on the hot seat, members of that committee offered real love. Each approached Charlie over the following weeks and made a point to chat with him and be encouraging. We never did find out why Charlie lashed out. However, it was painfully obvious that it wasn’t the church or pastor with a spiritual problem. Charlie was the one going through the motions in his faith journey. We wanted to help ameliorate that with God’s help.
God doesn’t want you just going through your spiritual life on autopilot. God wants you engaged. When your faith life becomes mere ritual, things need to change. Shake things up in your spiritual life! Find out what if something is wrong. Seek God’s guidance. Examine your soul. Talk to those who are truly faithful. Try meditating on a new Bible passage or start reading a new devotional book. Sit in a different place in the sanctuary. Join a new group. Start a new mission work. Start some new spiritual habits! Don’t let mere ritual ever define your relationship with God.
When your passion for Jesus goes missing, it won’t be long before you will be numb to all of God’s wonderful actions around you! God forbid that ever happens to you! Life is too short to waste it in a ritualistic funk!