Luke’s Notebook

From Isaiah 1:

Hear the word of the LORD,
you rulers of Sodom;
listen to the law of our God,
you people of Gomorrah!

11 “The multitude of your sacrifices—
what are they to me?” says the LORD.
“I have more than enough of burnt offerings,
of rams and the fat of fattened animals;
I have no pleasure
in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.

12 When you come to appear before me,
who has asked this of you,
this trampling of my courts?

13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings!
Your incense is detestable to me.
New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—
I cannot bear your evil assemblies.

14 Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts
my soul hates.
They have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.

15 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;

16 wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds
out of my sight!
Stop doing wrong,

17 learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed. [a]
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow.

18 “Come now, let us reason together,”
says the LORD.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.

19 If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the best from the land;

20 but if you resist and rebel,
you will be devoured by the sword.”
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

I just can’t help but think of churches or individuals who will give up something for Lent — be it eating meat on Fridays, giving up chocolate, giving up soda — but they might be living a life that is clearly offensive to God.  So those folks could feel proud of themselves, and think that they are racking up brownie points with God, when instead they’re almost digging a deeper hole for themselves.

God will not be mocked.  If on a regular basis we are living a life that insults Him and offends Him, do we really think He is going to be happy if we say, “Hey, I guess I’ll not eat ice cream for a few weeks”??  Of course not.

Wouldn’t you feel the same way, though?  If somebody you knew was making fun of you or disrespecting you constantly, but then would give you lip service every now and then, how do you think you would feel?  If they mock you Monday through Saturday, are you really going to appreciate it if they say a few nice things about you on Sunday?

I guess what I’m concerned about is people who think that they’re being a “good Christian” by sacrificing something during the Lenten season, but without yielding their lives to God.

We can’t throw God a bone.  In Isaiah 64, we’re told “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” And those are our RIGHTEOUS acts!  Imagine then what God thinks about the things that we know are wrong, that make US squirm.

The point is, we won’t impress God with what we do or what we sacrifice.  He wants US.  He wants our love, our affection, our obedience.  We can’t buy Him off.  We can’t pay somebody else to do it for us.

I do think it’s a fine idea to sacrifice something this season, so long as it’s done out of love for God and not out of guilt or as an effort to make up for some other aspect of our life that isn’t in line with Him.  A sacrifice made with love is a beautiful thing.