Monday, August 20: Amos 4 - Duty without heart.

Rituals without love. Duty without heart. Religion without kindness.  These are my thoughts as I read this chapter.

Israel, and particularly the women, followed the basic religious duties of Israel, worship, sacrifices and tithes. There is a sense that they dutifully and religiously followed these, but a heart for the poor and care for the needy were absent. In fact, their lives were grotesquely self-centered. Living opulently, ordering husbands around like slaves, while people suffered in the streets.

I flashed from back then to present day. It can be so easy to ‘play at church,’ to perform the outward religious functions (go to church regularly, give money –even tithe- attend other meetings or functions), and yet miss the connection with Jesus. In other words, we can go through the religious motions but have a stone-cold heart.

I sat with this thought for a while, considering, pondering, examining… my life.

Lord, is this true of me in any manner, way or fashion? Is it, Lord? Every fiber in my being wants to justify myself, to think it couldn’t be,  However,  even as I think and pray this thought, Holy Spirit conviction chimes in, ‘watch out, arrogance has no place in one of My children.’

Oh, God, search me and know me.  See if there is any wickedness in me… and what You find, Lord, remove, I pray. Amen.