Day 22

I hate all your show

Ezekiel said some rough stuff, but Hosea had to live it! Object lessons and anything possible to get through to His people. But Israel persists in their pursuits of evil and sin just like we do. The prophets can seem doom and gloom, but there is always a wrinkle of hope for what God will do on the horizon. Todays recap focuses on all those glimmers of hope.

What did it say about God?

There are some iconic lines that are quoted from the prophets often in this section of reading. One of recent emphasis:

“I hate, I despise your religious festivals;
    your assemblies are a stench to me.
Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
    I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
    I will have no regard for them.
 Away with the noise of your songs!
    I will not listen to the music of your harps.
 But let justice roll on like a river,
    righteousness like a never-failing stream!

Amos 5:21-24

And then one quoted by Jesus from Hosea:

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
    and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

Hosea 6:6

Jon Foreman picks up these ideas in his song, Instead of a Show. The song starts with these lyrics:

I hate all your show and pretense
The hypocrisy of your praise
The hypocrisy of your festivals
I hate all your show

I love the way that sums up these two lines from the prophets. They are advocating for the heart of the Father, that has never desired systems and endless religiosity, but wants to hold the captive attention of the hearts of His people. He wants obedience that flows from adoration rather than begrudging boxes to be checked. He wants to show mercy, but can’t show mercy to the box checkers. If He were to show mercy to box checkers they would think it was their box checking that saved them. He can only show mercy to the humble, the ones willing to admit need, then they will know He and only He has saved them. There is a condition of heart God delights to show mercy to, and there are many attitudes of the heart He refuses to show mercy to. This is why Jesus ends up connecting so well with the sinful, outcasts, and despised. They know their need. Do I think of myself as in need today? Because if not, I am probably just running a show today.

What did it say about people?

Daniel is a good read for us because we are also exiles living in Babylon today. It gives us a template, not to be disrespectful or protest every little detail, but to also be willing to take stands trusting God no matter the outcome.

 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.  If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.  But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Daniel 3:16-18

I love that line, ‘but even if he does not.’ I want to have a faith in God that is not outcome oriented, but just trust in God no matter the circumstances or outcomes. Many of us are guilty in believing in God for the purpose that He will deliver or make this situation better. ‘But even if he does not’ is a statement of true faith.

You will also notice in Babylon the real difference between people who follow God and don’t. The kings are all interested, but God is like a party trick to them. They call on Him in times of need or curiosity, but fail to ever depend on or seek Him daily. Daniel on the other hand is in continuous pursuit of God. His relationship with God touches every area of his life, from what he eats, to how he speaks, how he spends his time and anything else. It’s real easy to just have God be like a party trick in our lives each Sunday, but for the true follower, the road is narrow. God wants all of us and when someone is following Him in Spirit and Truth, you can just tell. There is something different about them.

What did it say about the Kingdom of God?

One more quote from todays reading (this is really turning into a quotey post):

Rend your heart
    and not your garments.
Return to the Lord your God,
    for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
    and he relents from sending calamity.
Joel 2:13

Man this is such a good line in Joel. Literally, tear your hearts, not your garments. Don’t outwardly repent of your sin with tears and visual displays, but inwardly repent with a torn up heart. I have written a few times about how we might be pretty bad a genuine repentance, but I think this line captures it the best. Like I wrote in this section yesterday, the Spirit is going to bring victory and transformation, so my job is repent willfully as He convicts me of sin. My heart should be tearing throughout the day as He reveals selfishness, insecurity, pride, and anything else to me. If we get this right we look more and more like true Jesus followers. We don’t get proud and self-righteous as our lives are transformed and new holiness found! We instead confess more sin today than we did yesterday, and as we allow that to impact our heart it continually puts us in a position of ‘in-need’ and receiving grace from our Lord and Savior. The joy and strength that is found for us when we tap into this rhythm of regular repentance!

What is your takeaway? Leave it in the comments below!