People get things messed up every time our focus shifts to external and worldly things. The church in Jesus´s day followed the things they were taught about worshipping God. But they constantly made the rules more important than their relation to Him. God gives directives for us to draw closer to Him and share more with Him. But we humans soon turn it into ideals and routines. Yet God watches and waits for some to see and care. He is here, waiting for us to approach Him.
A good example is our prayer-life. He knows we will need the doors of communication open between us. We will need to feed off of what we learn when our hearts are near to Him. That time with Him is necessary. Yet somehow we start mixing it up. We set off with all the best intentions to obey Gods wishes and do what He asks. So we throw ourselves into our task of praying. We work up a routine or time frame for doing it. We start using the same words or sentiments and recite them from memory. We fulfil the command. But we leave God behind as we turn prayer into our ritual or routine.
Are we praying? Yes, of course! Are we doing something that pleases God? Sure! But are we finding the great heart of God? This is where we go astray. We take His very words and wishes and turn them into something else than a bonding moment for us.
God is here behind an invisible veil. He calls us to Him. There are many ways and expressions that He has given us to use to help us draw nearer. But each and every little hint is there to assist us. Nothing He has ever intended us to do would ever separate us from Him in any way. The goal is open communion with Him?
Jesus Himself lived His life in this way. He did everything with His Father and focused on Him. If we would have a part with Him, we should be like our Savior. So when we hear God is Lord of the Sabbath, let´s not put the emphasis on the day. Let´s use it to get closer to our Him.
Dear Lord, help us today to open up our entire hearts to You. Draw us so close to You that we feed off of Your Spirit for everything. Let us take nothing and remove it from You, not even the things we know you have asked of us. Make all that we think and do to bring us to You. Show us how to draw near in Spirit to the Lord of the Sabbath, our Lord, and Lord of all! Amen
Matthew 6:7 ESV / “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
1 John 5:14 ESV / And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.
Matthew 6:6 ESV / But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Colossians 2:20-23 ESV / If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.
Mark 7:6-8 ESV / And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”
Isaiah 29:13 ESV / And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,
Luke 18:15-17 ESV / Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
Searching For Christ 
Leave a comment