March 5 -- "Ritual vs Righteousness"

Today’s Reading: Proverbs 21 

"Ritual vs Righteousness"

The way you behave in your dealings with others means far more to God than your religious performance. It seems that there is no shortage of people who are ready to do their religious duty on Sundays, but show no signs of a godly life the rest of the week. They meticulously make the “sacrifices” of attending church services, paying their tithes, saying their prayers, following their liturgy, singing their songs, and performing their rituals – but there is no attempt to live a righteous life before God. They just don’t get that God is more interested in their seeking to be righteous, just, and merciful than He is in them coming and offering such “sacrifices” to Him. 

David the Psalmist recognized this truth in Psalm 51 – “You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.” God is far more interested in matters of the heart than He is in our religious ceremony. Having this type of broken spirit and repentant heart will result in living the type of life that God finds acceptable and pleasing – a life of faith, mercy, kindness, justice, and righteousness.

Yahweh was very blunt about this truth with the prophet Isaiah when He questioned him about religious duty:

“’What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?’ says the Lord.
‘I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened cattle.
I get no pleasure from the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.
When you come to worship me, who asked you to parade through my courts with all your ceremony?
Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts; the incense of your offerings disgusts me!
As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath and your special days for fasting—they are all sinful and false.
I want no more of your pious meetings.’” (Isaiah 1:11-13)

The reality is that if our heart isn’t in it, God isn’t interested in our religion. He is seeking those with a humble and contrite heart who recognize their need for His grace and forgiveness and commit themselves to living righteously, justly, and mercifully through the power of His indwelling Spirit. The way you behave in your dealings with others means far more to God than your religious performance.