Honoring God
Jesus Teaches about True Worship
Live in the light of God (Isaiah 2:5)
Piety That Honors God
Ecclesiastes 5:1-6 The Message
God’s in Charge, Not You
5 Watch your step when you enter God’s house.
Enter to learn. That’s far better than mindlessly offering a sacrifice,
Doing more harm than good.
2 Don’t shoot off your mouth, or speak before you think.
Don’t be too quick to tell God what you think he wants to hear.
God’s in charge, not you—the less you speak, the better.
3 Overwork makes for restless sleep.
Overtalk shows you up as a fool.
4-5 When you tell God you’ll do something, do it—now.
God takes no pleasure in foolish gabble. Vow it, then do it.
Far better not to vow in the first place than to vow and not pay up.
6 Don’t let your mouth make a total sinner of you.
When called to account, you won’t get by with
“Sorry, I didn’t mean it.”
Why risk provoking God to angry retaliation?
For Reflection
The Wisdom Tradition of the Hebrew Scriptures offers us an insight into the traditions of justice, righteousness, and humility. The "plain language" of The Message is blunt and "in-your-face." If this wake-up slap jolts us into examining our humility in our life in prayer and service to God, then the raw language may have been worth it. This week think about humility. Try to identify some subtle ways insincerity cloaks humility.
PrayThis wake up
Pray and contemplate the content of your prayers. Contemplate how you make each day a humble living prayer for justice and righteousness.
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