“I’ve been good. I’ve been to church three times”, I heard somebody say. Whenever I hear that kind of thing said, I always feel like paraphrasing Charlie Drake, in an old English comedy programme, ‘Daddy would be pleased’.
You see some people seem to get the impression that they are doing God a favour by going to church. I always want to read Isaiah chapter 1, when I hear this kind of thing, but people very seldom want to read that.
The Lord says, “When you come to appear before me who asked you to come trampling into my courts? Bring no more empty offerings, I hate incense and all your solemn assemblies, I can’t stand it. You’ve become a burden to me, and even when you spread out your hands to pray, I’m not going to be there; even though you make many prayers I won’t listen because your 1ives are full of evil. Wash yourselves and make yourselves clean. Cease to do evil, learn to do well, then come let us reason together, though your sins are as scarlet they shall be as white as snow”.
Now that’s how the word of God speaks to people who think they have done God a favour by going to church. You can make an idol out of worship; you can even make an idol out of stopping away from it, but if you want to see what real worship can do, then be prepared to be turned upside down and inside out and changed by the living God. That’s what Jesus meant when He said, “Those who worship the Father must worship in spirit and in truth”.
Make sure you do that today.
If you want to read something today, then read Isaiah chapter 1.