THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 7:6-8
“‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.'” (Mark 7:8, quoting Isaiah 29:13)
God is not impressed by our outward behaviours when they do not reflect inward truth.
Jesus comes to release us from religion, to restore us to relationship.
To love God with our whole being, and to love our neighbour as ourselves.
If we do this sincerely, then everything else we do will have meaning too.
How many people who go to church, or claim to be ‘christian’, actually love God, or people?
How many who claim to follow Jesus actually devote themselves to living with, like and for Him?
How many church wars are more about promoting our religion, protecting our comfort zone?
I have been through church wars, and the people involved in many ways are ‘good’ people.
We would vehemently deny we were just honouring God with our lips, not our hearts.
But so would the religious leaders of Jesus day…
Which should give us all pause to think carefully about our religious words and actions.
There has always been a danger of heartless religion, and we are no exception.
The test is love; is our religious activity characterized by humility, compassion, mercy, patience?
Do we focus on other’s failures more than our own?
God knows our hearts better than we do, He sees through our words and actions to our motives.
Spend time today asking Him if your heart is in your words.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, my heart is weak, and I have moments when I am hot, and cold, and lukewarm. Help me not to judge others when I have plenty to work on in myself.
Observations/Application
Heart condition.
These three words need to go together – knowing – doing – loving. That makes a person of integrity. My heart, my heart, my hands must be in sync. Yet all too often my mind/mouth/hands are not intune with the central command. Love. As far as it depends upon me I must live at peace with all mankind. Others must be able to see that I am who I am – a Christian by my love.
Help me daily Lord to check my heart condition so that my knowing/loving /doing is in sync with Your Way – following Your Command and not my sinful desires.
1 Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Thou art the potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after thy will,
while I am waiting, yielded and still.
2 Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Search me and try me, Savior today!
Wash me just now, Lord, wash me just now,
as in thy presence humbly I bow.
3 Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Wounded and weary, help me I pray!
Power, all power, surely is thine!
Touch me and heal me, Savior divine!
4 Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Hold o’er my being absolute sway.
Fill with thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me!