Worship charades

Today: Isaiah 1-4

As much as yesterday's passage was the feel-good and lovey-dovey, today's is the back-to-reality, "tell it like it is" instruction. Isaiah was a prophet. Throughout Scripture, prophets tend to present God's Word in a way that's straight-up honest. It's not always easy or comfortable to read, but it can change us today like it transformed people in past generations.

This part of the passage--about what the Message version refers to as "worship charades" really struck a chord with me. Take a look:

"Quit your worship charades.

I can't stand your trivial religious games:

Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings—

meetings, meetings, meetings—

I can't stand one more!

Meetings for this, meetings for that.

I hate them!

You've worn me out!

I'm sick of your religion, religion, religion,

while you go right on sinning.

When you put on your next prayer-performance,

I'll be looking the other way.

No matter how long or loud or often you pray,

I'll not be listening.

And do you know why?

Because you've been tearing people to pieces,

and your hands are bloody.

Go home and wash up.

Clean up your act.

Sweep your lives clean of your evildoings

so I don't have to look at them any longer.

Say no to wrong.

Learn to do good.

Work for justice.

Help the down-and-out.

Stand up for the homeless.

Go to bat for the defenseless..."

Wow--I don't think it's possible to get much more straightforward than that. God was calling His people out on their hypocritical actions. They were praising Him with their mouths and even doing some of the right things (going to church, praying, etc.). But it was absolutely disgusting to Him because their hearts were not in the right place.

When we read this passage, I think it's also important to note that "worship charades" can come in various forms--people put on shows of hypocrisy in settings that look humble in nature (e.g. small churches, stark decor, traditional-style worship, etc.) and they put on shows of hypocrisy at megachurches with lasers, bands and dry ice. On the flip side, I believe that genuine worship can also occur at a small, traditional church and at a megachurch service that resembles a rock concert. "Worship charades" are not created by external factors, but by messed-up hearts and motives.

In this passage, I think God was expressing His frustration at people who "just didn't get it." Loving and serving Him is not about putting on a facade of a picture-perfect life--it's about genuinely loving Him and loving others. Meetings, worship and prayer are absolutely meaningless if they are simply done for looks. It's worthless to check a box that virtually says, "I did my Christian duty for the day," while showing a total disregard for heart issues. Charades involve acting. Genuine worship is submitting to God, giving Him honor. It's serving Him and others by living a life of love.

Tomorrow: Isaiah 5-8

The Locator, perspective and forgiveness

Today: Genesis 43-45

Have you ever watched a reunion show?

I'm not talking about a YouTube video of a 10-year high school reunion in Milwaukee where everyone does the macarena. I'm talking about a show where people are reunited with someone really special to them...like a sister they were separated from in the foster system, a son they didn't know they had or a father they had never met. A few weeks ago, I was at my parents' house and watched such a show called "The Locator." It's a show where this guy (Troy Dunn) helps people find their long-lost loved ones.

I watched one episode where a woman was looking for her biological father. She always wondered, "Does he look like me? Does he know if I exist? Does he have the same laugh?" The Locator found the woman's biological dad...a man who never believed he was her father. He felt guilty and wondered, "Will she forgive me for not looking for her? Will she forgive me for not being there?"

When I read today's passage, I felt a bit like I was watching that show again. This reunion story between Joseph and his brothers was so emotional and inspiring. It was charged with all of the feelings I listed above--I'm sure some of Joseph's brothers thought he was dead. They thought they'd never see him again. Some of them probably felt scared--I mean the brother they betrayed and sold as a slave was one of the most powerful men in the world! And at least one (Joseph himself) was (surprisingly?) thrilled to see them again.

I just wrote surprisingly with a question mark because I don't know how many people would be thrilled to reunite with those who caused them such sorrow and pain. We already know that Joseph was an incredible guy with an incredible heart. He walked with this mature perspective that allowed him to forgive--truly a gift from God.

Rather than writing any more about it, I thought I'd let you read some of his words to his brothers again:

"I am Joseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt.

But don't feel badly, don't blame yourselves for selling me.

God was behind it.

God sent me here ahead of you to save lives.

There has been a famine in the land now for two years;

the famine will continue for five more years—

neither plowing nor harvesting.

God sent me on ahead to pave the way

and make sure there was a remnant in the land,

to save your lives in an amazing act of deliverance.

So you see, it wasn't you who sent me here but God.

He set me in place as a father to Pharaoh,

put me in charge of his personal affairs,

and made me ruler of all Egypt.
"Hurry back to my father. Tell him,

'Your son Joseph says: I'm master of all of Egypt.

Come as fast as you can and join me here.

I'll give you a place to live in Goshen where you'll be close to me—

you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds,

and anything else you can think of.

I'll take care of you there completely.

There are still five more years of famine ahead;

I'll make sure all your needs are taken care of,

you and everyone connected with you—you won't want for a thing.'

Tomorrow: Genesis 46-47