Religious Activity--Why it is not good enough

In the first chapter of Isaiah, God recognizes the religious practices of his chosen people as devoid of love for him.

"The multitude of your sacrifices — what are they to me?" says the Lord… Stop bringing meaningless offerings!...” Isaiah 1:11a, 13a NIV

I have gradually realized that much of what we accept as religion must be offensive to God. Not that what we do during our Sunday church services is wrong. It is not. But our heart attitudes are wrong. I am beginning to recognize that during Sunday religious activities is when Satan does his most successful and destructive work in the Christian community. Satan is sly, deceitful, and skillful at influencing our minds and emotions.

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith,…” 1 Peter 5:8-9a NIV

Christians must learn to recognize Satan’s manipulation. I am convinced that much of the frustration, anger, grumbling, and gossip in churches makes Satan laugh and jump with joy. He is manipulating our minds and emotions so our religious practices are just perfunctory. They are not sincere worship. They are the motions of worship we perform to deceive ourselves and others. Devotion to God is absent while devotion to self is rampant. God is not pleased with our sin. He has made it very clear that he will not listen to our prayers when we willfully sin against him.

“When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood;” Isaiah 1:15 NIV

“For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters wicked things.” Isaiah 59:3 NIV

“ If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;” Psalm 66:18 NIV

Hundreds of years after Isaiah prophesied, Jesus pointed out that Israel’s religious practices had not changed.

“You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'" Matthew 15:7-9 NIV

So, we must examine our hearts. Are we worshipping God or performing religious activities to be noticed by others and to make ourselves feel good? Are we refusing to address sin issues in our lives and still expecting God to hear our prayers? Do we truly want to worship God or do we only want the social aspects of religion?

Lord, show me my sin. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, make my time of worship sincere and pleasing to you.