By David ReayWednesday 19 Aug 2020LifeWords DevotionalsDevotionsReading Time: 1 minute
Away with your noisy hymns of praise!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.
Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice,
an endless river of righteous living.(NLT)
These Old Testament prophets were not great fans of ritual religion. Repeatedly they warn against enthusiastic gatherings that are not backed up by just as enthusiastic daily actions. It is not as if the rituals themselves are the problem. It is just that they are disconnected from reality. The good words and feelings do not translate into good works.
Some church gatherings, at least in normal times, are full of noise and colour and have people jumping in the aisles. Some gatherings are more soberly focussed on listening to the Bible and even taking notes during the sermon. Yet others feature elaborate rituals meant to convey something of the grandeur and mystery of God.
It would seem God doesn’t have a particular preference. He is happy to let us gather in our own way consistent with the temperament and background he has provided for us. But he is very concerned with what happens after the gathering. Does that enthusiasm carry over? Does that learning from the Bible lead to application of it? Does that expression of the grand mystery of God lead to everyday obedience to him?
By all means let’s get our gathering together right. But let’s not forget that after we gather, we scatter.
Blessings
David