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Vain worship





 Jesus quoted the prophet Isaiah when he addressed the Pharisees and teachers of the law:

 These people honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain. Mark 7:6-7

 Jesus is amazed at how religious people will speak the name of God and pray about honoring Him while maintaining distance from Him in their hearts. Is that really who I am sometimes? Do I worship God as formality and routine? Is my faith more about religion than relationship?

 Vain worship happens when I pray for God to help the poor on Sunday but won't even look a homeless man in the eyes as he stands at an intersection holding a sign. I pray "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done" on Sunday and then live for my kingdom on Monday. I pray for the lost to be reached but don't even know any lost people because I'm too busy hanging out only with Christians. I pray in thanksgiving to God that He accepted me when I was unacceptable but am not accepting of others who are different from me.

Worship does happen, however, when celebrating the grace of God in worship translates into being gracious toward others....when my Sunday connects with my Monday.....when my prayers become my marching orders instead of formalities. It is when my worship songs really become the songs of my heart and my love for God gets translated into real relationships with people.

 Lord, save me from vain worship. May my lips and my life honor You always! Amen. 

 Jerry Sweat is Lead Pastor at Beach Church in
Jacksonville Beach, Florida

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