Believing Faith

 

"So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust,

The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you.”

     Joel 2:25 (NKJV)

At a very low point in my life years ago, the Lord gave me this verse.  I was in a desperate place when all hope seemed gone and God comforted me. His promised restoration spoke hope to my heart.  This OT verse was written to Israel about a period of time called the Day of the Lord, so what does it have to do with me?  It illustrates the great principle that although all Scripture is not written to us, all Scripture is written for us—that is, it is useful for us and has application to our lives (2 Tim. 3:16). 

Since that first time, God has reaffirmed this verse to me on numerous occasions over the years, including recently.  I’m grateful for that because although God only needs to say something once for it to be true, it’s encouraging to have confirmation, especially since I have not seen any fulfilment yet of the promised restoration.  So I keep trusting and like Abraham, remain “fully convinced that what He had promised, He was also able to perform” (Romans 4:21, NKJV).

God worked through Abraham’s faith to bring about the great promises made to him.  Although Abraham knew there was no natural way for him to have a son through Sarah, he considered not those limitations but believed God.  We are also called on to believe. And when we do, we are "strengthened in faith, giving glory to God" (Romans 4:20, NKJV).

What are you trusting God for today? Is there a promise you’re waiting for Him to fulfill?  We serve a God who is faithful and true, who can make a way where there seems to be no way. So let’s consider not the obstacles but have faith in God to do what He promises.

Remembrance

 

Memorial Day is coming up, a day set aside to commemorate those who have died while serving in the U.S. military.  It is right and fitting to remember their sacrifice for our country.  The theme of remembrance also runs through the Bible.  We are called to remember many things as part of our Christian faith.  For example: 

• "Remember that the LORD your God led you all the way” (Deut. 8:2, NKJV)

 

• "Remember the days of old, Consider the years of many generations” (Deut. 32:7, NKJV)

 

• “Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth” (1 Chron. 16:12, NKJV)

 

• Jesus said to remember His words and His example to us (John 15:20, NKJV)

 

• Jesus said to remember His sacrificial death for us (1 Corinth. 11:24-25, NKJV)

 

We’re also told to remember the poor (Gal. 2:10) and those who are in bonds, i.e., imprisoned and prisoned for their faith in Christ (Heb. 13:3).

Interestingly, the Bible tells us things about God’s memory. For example, when we are feeling weak, it is comforting to reflect that God “knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14, NKJV).  And what a blessing to know that when we confess our sins, God promises that He “will remember [them] no more” (Hebrews 8:12, NKJV).

I hope and pray that you will spend some time pondering these things we are to remember.  A heart filled with such remembrances is truly blessed.

I'm Sorry, WHAT?

 Think about the last time you were sure you misheard someone, only to discover what you heard was what they said? The resulting cognizant dissonance can result from shock, from abhorrence, from joy, or even horror. When was the last time you ran across a verse that caught you up short, shocked you, compelled you to every reference you could find to help you grapple with the dissonance in your mind?

I'm searching for an understanding of the Biblical Spiritual Cosmology. Honestly, I'm not sure what to call it, but from what little I can figure out so far, it is the spiritual reality alongside our own, where the "spiritual warfare" we don't see takes place. It's where the "sons of God" come before His throne, including Satan (Job 1:6). It's the place in the heavens where the spiritual forces of evil collide with their Creator (Ephesians 6:12).

I want to know what we're up against, the lay of the land, a map, to know the enemy and friendlies. I'm not having an easy time of it. Scripture seems to assume I know more than I do. Paul just leaves things said without providing a context. He's provide oral teaching, and refers to it in letters without describing it further. He already has with his audience earlier, in person. But now, we don't have that. What the stink is "the third heaven"? How many are there, for Pete's sake?

Well, in the process of this quest, I ran across this verse:

And beware not to lift up your eyes to heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, and be drawn away and worship them and serve them, those which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven.
Deuteronomy 4:19 NASB

I'm sorry, what? Our Creator and Savior allotted the "host of heaven" to all the peoples under the whole heaven? In the Theological Word Book of the Old Testament, it says He does this as "guides" not to be worshipped. The problem with interpreting this reference as "guides" is that the context is worship. But, this same entry claims that some Jewish commentators claim this passage condones idolatry among Gentiles. I'm confused.

Let's set aside for a second whether this reference condones idolatry among Gentiles or refers to them as "guides". Regardless, there is a sense in which they are given importance I didn't know our Creator gives them. He allotted them to all people under heaven. Everyone who looks at them is supposed to draw some sense of importance from them, a purpose of their Creator, and ours. 

Consider, for a moment, that almost every human religion ascribes some quality of deity to the sun, moon, and stars. It's like the prevalence of flood geology. How is it that stars had such a perfuse importance to we, human creatures? And their proper relation to the "Peculiar People of God" is that we do not worship them like everyone does.

Here's my dilemma: Since we are not to worship them, how, then, have they been allotted to us as also those under all the heavens? Not for worship, clearly, so what for? Are they "guides", then for what? To where?

I do not know, not yet. But I believe it has something to do with the "spiritual cosmology" I'm pursuing. I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, be sure to look up; not to then bow down to what you see, but, rather to marvel at the works of our Creator's hands declaring His glory (Psalm 19:1).

Left Undone

 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

(Eph. 2:10, NKJV).

 

We are to accomplish all the good works, big and small, that God has prepared for us. This is our purpose, why we were created. Unfortunately, sometimes we fail to do the good things we should do. For example, we may not pray for others as we should (see 1 Sam. 12:23); we may hold onto bitterness and not forgive someone (see Matt. 6:15).  Maybe we’ve felt a prompting to give and meet a certain need, but we haven’t followed through. Perhaps we have a conviction to witness to someone, yet we’ve held back.  Maybe we know we should be serving at church or somewhere else but we make excuses instead.  We need to realize that these omissions are sin to us.

 

Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

James 4:17 (NKJV)

 

Someday, we will appear before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of our lives, what we’ve done and what we’ve failed to do (2 Corinth. 5:10).  That should motivate us to follow the Lord’s leading and be obedient to do all that He calls us to do.  Besides, to live each day with a clear conscience and without regrets is a true blessing. 

 

It isn’t the thing you do, dear,

It’s the thing you leave undone,

That gives you the bitter heartache

At the setting of the sun;

The tender word unspoken,

The letter you did not write,

The flowers you might have sent, dear,

Are your haunting ghosts at night.

 

The stone you might have lifted

Out of your brother’s way,

The bit of heartfelt counsel

You were hurried too much to say;

The loving touch of the hand, dear,

The gentle and winsome tone,

That you had no time or thought for,

With troubles enough of your own.

. . .

For life is all too short, dear,

And sorrow is all too great,

To allow our slow compassion

That tarries until too late.

And it’s not the thing you do, dear,

It’s the thing you leave undone,

That gives you the bitter heartache,

At the setting of the sun.*

 

*Poem attributed to Adelaide Proctor and printed in “Streams in the Desert” by L.B. Cowman (July 30^th).

Eventually...

 Eventually, stuff works out. Below is a picture I took of the planet Mars. As I said last week, a big white spot.

It would probably be more interesting if you could see the stars around it, but that was difficult because this was just to the right of it:

And the focus on these was difficult because of distortion in the air, so this is all I was able to get.

You see, eventually, things work out. And, that is true for everything. The cliche is that "all things come to an end". Not just good things come to an end, but all things. Eventually, there will be this event where the Creator of the universe sits on a throne to judge, and heaven and earth will flee from him, and find no hiding place...I know, right? What will that look like?

There will be a day when books will be opened, and another book will be opened. John described it this way:

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:11-15 NASB

Books were opened, and everyone, great and small, were judged by what was written in "the books". But, at the end of the process, it didn't depend on what was in the books, but whether your name is written in the Book of Life. Are you alive? That's what counts.

I have been reading a book that explores theology using the Peanuts cartoons as illustrations. I was pretty intrigued by it until the author makes this case that there is no future hell, and everyone goes to heaven. Nice idea, but not Scriptural. He tries to make it so, but the problem is that his attempts are to reconcile his idea of what a "god of love" would do, rather than accept the self-revelation of the God who is love.

So, this author and I differ on that view. Eventually, we'll know which of us is right. One day we'll stand before this massive white throne, and our judge will be the God who is, rather the one of our imaginations. Maybe we will both be wrong, having both worshipped different gods of our imagination.

I'm trying to perceive the God revealing Himself through Scripture, and I'm relying on my hope that He won't judge too closely on accuracy. I've given up on understanding Him, and now work on accepting Him as I perceive Him. Eventually, I will see Him as He is. I doubt I will understand Him, even then. And, I hope my exercise in acceptance of Him will pay off as I grapple with that "up close and personal" experience of His presence.

I hear it's good to have goals...

Valley of Baca

 

Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.

As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; The rain also covers it with pools.

They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion.

     Psalm 84:5-7 (NKJV)

These three simple verses give a lovely picture of the Christian walk.

 Strength in God

Our strength is not in our abilities or efforts, but in the Lord, for it is Christ who strengthens us (Phil. 4:13).  Another passage says that God is the glory of our strength and that His arm shall strengthen us (Psalm 89:17, 21).

 Heart set on pilgrimage

Contrary to some popular teachings, this is not our “best life now.” True believers know that our best life is yet to come. We are just passing through this world as “sojourners and pilgrims” (1 Peter 2:11) on a journey towards our heavenly home. Our hearts are set on pilgrimage to follow Christ until He comes or calls us to be with Him.

 Valley of Baca

While in this world we will have tribulation, as Jesus said (John 16:33).  Our pilgrimage may take us through a Valley of Baca. Apparently, this was an actual valley near Jerusalem but it is also used symbolically as a place of sorrow, because Baca comes from a word meaning to weep.  In this psalm, it also implies a place of dryness, a barren wasteland.

 Springs of refreshment

Even during times of spiritual dryness, even when we’re in a season of sadness, God will bring springs of refreshment to our souls if we stay close to Him. The Lord says He “will open rivers in desolate heights, And fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, And the dry land springs of water” (Isaiah 41:18, NKJV).

 Strength to strength

Instead of being wearied while we sojourn through the Valley of Baca, we are refreshed by God’s all-sufficient grace if we will wait and trust Him. For “those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31, NKJV). 

When we are rooted in God’s word, we can weather these desert seasons and go from strength to strength. “Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God (Psalm 92:13, NKJV).  Are you flourishing today? If not, turn and trust in the Lord God Almighty and He will refresh you.

First-World Frustrations

 When I was a kid, I would get all worked up over something, cranky about whatever wasn't working like it was supposed to, I'd snap at people, and be basically crabby. My mom would always, and I mean always, ask, "Did you have your quiet time this morning?" It was like putting out a fire with gas...BOOM!

The thing is, she was right, and I knew it. It distracted from my viscerally felt validity of my problem, but it was still accurate. Last night we had a Bible study on thankfulness. I am thankful, so I didn't pay a lot of attention. When I got home, I setup an astronomical telescope to attempt to connect it to my computer to run it. What could go wrong?

I got it aligned with the earth's axial tilt, and tried to orient it to my specific location on the earth. I needed a couple of stars to point it at. I typically use my smart phone for that. There are free apps that will show you the constellations and stars you are looking at in the sky by holding it up against your view of the sky.

On this particular night, my phone decided that orienting itself to where I was and what I was looking at was not what it wanted to do. I'd used two different astronomical apps and it just spun around. I had to work it manually. Grrr. But I have a phone, a smart phone. That's actually pretty cool.

I found two stars to use to orient the scope to my location. It worked, but had an "error" that was actually HUGE. I was a little concerned but it seem to track well. So, I didn't worry about it. Now to connect the computer. But first, let's see if I can take a picture.

I connect the camera to the scope, and get...nothing. What I see in the scope is not anywhere in the view of the camera, and they're looking in the same "tube". How is that even possible? No idea why that is. I change some settings on the camera, nothing. I verify that the image is in the center, change back to the camera, still nothing. But, you know what? I have this nice DSLR camera (Digital Single Lens Reflex). That's actually pretty cool too.

Anyway, I was out here in the cold dark late night to connect my computer, not my camera. Let's try that. Long story short, it didn't work...at all. In fact it jacked up the computer programs and the computer. But you know what? I have a computer, a nice one. And have the time and place (my back deck) to setup a telescope and look at the night sky.

I can complain, but why? Sure, what I tried didn't work. What I wanted to do didn't happen. Instead I was able to see Mars, but not take a pic to share with you this morning. It would have been nice, but it wasn't as interesting as those amazing pics from orbiters around Mars. It would have been a round white spot against black. You wouldn't have been able to figure out what it was just from the picture. Honestly, not a huge loss. 

What we read last night was Deuteronomy 28:1-11, but look at the verses immediately following that:

The LORD will open for you his good treasure house, the heavens, to give you rain for the land in its season and to bless all you do; you will lend to many nations but you will not borrow from any. The LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always end up at the top and not at the bottom, if you obey his commandments that I am urging you today to be careful to do. But you must not turn away from all the commandments I am giving you today, to either the right or left, nor pursue other gods and worship them.
Deuteronomy 28:12-14 NET

Yay! The storehouses of heaven, rains, we will lend and not borrow, be the head not the tail, on top not the bottom...oh wait, "If you obey his commandments...". Would it be fair to say that praising our Savior is a command? Would it be within the realm of possibility that thankfulness in me is a desire of my Savior? 

I honestly don't know what it would mean for me that I would be the head not the tail, on top not the bottom, or experience the treasure house of heaven. I'm guessing it doesn't mean that my telescope will work like I want. It may mean that I get to see amazing views of what my Savior created, and marvel that He knows my name.

He is Able

 It is humbling to come before God and acknowledge our helplessness, but that's our proper place. When we admit our dependency upon Him, that's when we learn that He is all sufficient for us. And that attitude will bring all our worries and cares and problems into proper perspective.  He can meet every need, big or small.  Bring it all to the Lord for He is able. 

• I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able (2 Tim. 1:12);
• Able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think (Eph. 3:20);
• Able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work (2 Corinth. 9:8);
• Able to aid those who are tempted (Heb. 2:18);
• Able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them (Heb. 7:25);
• Able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy (Jude 24);
• Able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day (2 Tim. 1:12);
• Who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself (Phil. 3:21);
• Do you believe that I am able to do this? They said to Him, Yes Lord. . .[Then Jesus said,] According to your faith let it be to you. (Matt. 9:28-29)*

He knows what’s on your heart and what troubles you’re facing, but tell Him anyhow. Give it all to the Lord for He is able to carry what’s heavy. Then trust Him to do what only He can do.  For He is able.

*This list was taken from Daily Light (March 8^th, PM).

Flattering God

 

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.  Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.  Ephesians 5:1-2

When I first started writing this devotion, I felt like something was not right.  Spiritually, I was not connecting with God, and I do not know if anyone else ever feels that way.  But suddenly, something in my head said, “Turn to Ephesians 5.”  That led me to Ephesians 5:1-2.  The significance of it centered me on this topic of seasonality.  It was something I have been hearing in a few sermons, and it felt appropriate considering the temperature in Michigan was 80 degree yesterday after the following week where it was literally a Winter Wonderland!  So in this ‘season’ of my life, it was bigger than just the verses themselves.  It was to remind me that we all go through various stages and seasons in our life with God.  Sometimes it is to pause and reflect on His goodness.  Others it might be to better understand His purpose for our life.  But as the verse today told me, it was to really focus on aspiring to live as He would.  Why?  Because it is as Jesus said, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13) If this is indeed true and we know what Jesus says is, then Ephesians 5:1-2 is nothing more than a reiteration of Jesus’ teaching, right?

So, I begin to formulate my thinking.  If imitation is the greatest form of flattery, are we flattering God to gain His favor?  That is not how I envisioned our relationship with God.  Instead, I used to see it as His Kingdom that we are fortunate to live in.  But in reading the verses over and over again, that is not entirely what God wants either.  Why?  That is the challenge I found Ephesians 5 was pushing me toward.  God want obedience to Him, and that is a ‘given.’  But what God wants more than anything is for us to love as He loves.  This is after all a part of the Greatest Commandment from Jesus (see Matthew 22:34-39).  God wants us to be Christ like for Matthew 3:17 speaks of Christ saying, “And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.””  So mimicking Christ is good because we show not only His love but also bring great delight to God Himself.  We often think of God as this sovereign King, which is absolutely true.  But if we have built this wall of where He is near unapproachability, then we are doing God wrong.  God wants a relationship with us, and He went through a lot to get us to this point in our lives.  I know that as much as I have disappointed Him, I am grateful for His love and grace, and that I have an opportunity each and every day to be that shining example of Christ to the world is both humbling and inspiring.  For me, this is my new season, and perhaps, maybe yours.

We may not totally understand what season we are in with God, but it all starts with love.  When we focus on love, we stop focusing on our own public or private pain, and the motivation to make someone feel better grows in our spirit.  It could be as subtle as a hug or as deliberate as buying groceries for an elderly patient who might be struggling to get by.  No matter, God indeed has a plan for you.  Take the time, and look within your heart to help guide you in the next steps of your spiritual journey.  What season do you believe you are in?  How can your love for God drive you closer to the path you must travel?  My prayer is that whatever season we are in, we are guided by God’s goodness and love, and yes, ‘flatter’ God.  Amen.

It's All Good, But Not Really

 Have you ever read some account in Scripture of somebody, and then thought, "I wonder if there's more to that story." I certainly hope so. Gideon, Jephthah, Ehud, and especially Shamgar are just a few people around whom is certainly "more to the story". Unfortunately, this side of heaven, we're not going to get the "rest of the story".

On the other hand, there are times when we sort of stumble on "the rest of the story" somewhere else in Scripture. For instance, have you ever wondered why the people of Judah seemed to weave in and out of faithfulness to God with each king? It sounds a lot like the US, with each president bringing an entirely different view point and, sometimes, set of values. The kings of Judah reigned longer than four or eight years, the stories read like their short.

But even so, how do you go from the faithlessness of Ahaz who models the temple worship after pagan Assyria, to Hezekiah, who thoroughly turns the worship back to Yahweh and resists the Assyrians who had just wiped out Israel? How do the general population not get whiplash going back and forth? How do they really know what to do, what will last, what is true? What do they do when nobody's looking? Who do they worship in secret?

No king before or after repented before the LORD as he did, with his whole heart, soul, and being in accordance with the whole law of Moses. Yet the LORD’s great anger against Judah did not subside; he was still infuriated by all the things Manasseh had done. The LORD announced, “I will also spurn Judah, just as I spurned Israel. I will reject this city that I chose—both Jerusalem and the temple, about which I said, ‘I will live there.’
(2 Kings 23:25-27 NET)

If you read the preceding verses of chapter 23 (and 22 for context), you will see the extensive reforms, which had not been done previously. And yet, clearly it's not enough for the LORD. Why? What are we not seeing? Something is clearly missing from this story, for we know that when Ahab repented, Yahweh relented. Why not now? What's "the rest of the story"?

The following is a record of what Jeremiah son of Hilkiah prophesied. He was one of the priests who lived at Anathoth in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin. The LORD’s message came to him in the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amon ruled over Judah. It also came in the days of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah, and continued until the eleventh year of Zedekiah, son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the people of Jerusalem were taken into exile in the fifth month of that year.
(Jeremiah 1:1-3 NET)

According to 2 Kings 22, Josiah started his reforms in his eighteenth year (2 Kings 22:3) by repairing the Temple. So, Jeremiah had been prophesying for 5 years by then. If you look at all the stuff taken from the temple during Josiah's reform, Jeremiah is prophesying among pagan shrines, statues, altars and sacred poles inside the temple. It looked almost nothing like the building Solomon had built by then.

On the other hand, in 2 Chronicles 34, we're told that Josiah actually started purifying the land before Jeremiah's prophecies. In verse 3, it says the 8th year of his reign was when he started, 5 years prior to Jeremiah. Then, 5 years after Jeremiah begins, he cleans the temple. So, you might expect that Jeremiah has a lot to say to encourage this activity, right? You would think that he would speak of how great all these changes were, how fantastic the king was leading...

Or he could say this:

“So, once more I will state my case against you,” says the LORD.
“I will also state it against your children and grandchildren.
Go west across the sea to the coasts of Cyprus and see.
Send someone east to Kedar and have them look carefully.
See if such a thing as this has ever happened:
Has a nation ever changed its gods
(even though they are not really gods at all)?
But my people have exchanged me, their glorious God,
for a god that cannot help them at all!
Be amazed at this, O heavens.
Be shocked and utterly dumbfounded,”
says the LORD.
“Do so because my people have committed a double wrong:
They have rejected me,
the fountain of life-giving water,
and they have dug cisterns for themselves,
cracked cisterns that cannot even hold water.
(Jeremiah 2:9-13 NET)

But wait, this was written during Josiah's reign. How can that be? How can these reforms be happening, and Jeremiah hears this from Yahweh? Well, maybe this will help explain:

So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shullam son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, the supervisor of the wardrobe. (She lived in Jerusalem in the Mishneh district.) They stated their business, and she said to them: “This is what the LORD God of Israel has said: ‘Say this to the man who sent you to me: “This is what the LORD has said: ‘I am about to bring disaster on this place and its residents, all the things in the scroll that the king of Judah has read. This will happen because they have abandoned me and offered sacrifices to other gods, angering me with all the idols they have made. My anger will ignite against this place and will not be extinguished!’” Say this to the king of Judah, who sent you to seek an oracle from the LORD: “This is what the LORD God of Israel has said concerning the words you have heard: ‘You displayed a sensitive spirit and humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard how I intended to make this place and its residents into an appalling example of an accursed people. You tore your clothes and wept before me, and I have heard you,’ says the LORD. ‘Therefore I will allow you to die and be buried in peace. You will not have to witness all the disaster I will bring on this place.’”’” Then they reported back to the king.
2 Kings 22:14-20 NET

They don't take the scroll to Jeremiah. But Jeremiah isn't the only prophet. They do take it to one they know speaks for Yahweh, and she does. What she says is that all Josiah is doing will only save him from seeing the curses in this book, not save the nation. Why? Is it becoming obvious yet?

Even though they were led to worship faithfully, their hearts were not sold out to Yahweh. Josiah can do what he wants, destroy pagan altars, burn up pagan artifacts, smash them to dust and spread the dust on graves. The heart of the people aren't in it. They simply watch, and go along with the "religion de jure", knowing that once this king passes, all will return to "normal". These people are so completely twisted away from Yahweh, listen to their perspective on all the disaster that Yahweh brings on them, destruction of Jerusalem, deportation of the people, all of it:

Then all the men who were aware that their wives were sacrificing to other gods, as well as all their wives, answered Jeremiah—there was a great crowd of them representing all the people who lived in northern and southern Egypt — “We will not listen to what you claim the LORD has spoken to us! Instead we will do everything we vowed we would do. We will sacrifice and pour out drink offerings to the goddess called the Queen of Heaven just as we and our ancestors, our kings, and our leaders previously did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For then we had plenty of food, were well off, and had no troubles. But ever since we stopped sacrificing and pouring out drink offerings to the Queen of Heaven, we have been in great need. Our people have died in wars or of starvation.” The women added, “We did indeed sacrifice and pour out drink offerings to the Queen of Heaven. But it was with the full knowledge and approval of our husbands that we made cakes in her image and poured out drink offerings to her.”
(Jeremiah 44:15-19 NET, emphasis mine)

It seems impossible, doesn't it? And yet, clearly, the reforms of Josiah did not reach the people's heart, but only their actions. They went through the motions, but their heart was truly far from Yahweh. The appearance was great, but the substance was insufficient.

How about us? Are we more interested in appearance than substance? Are we more interested in how the band sounds, the singers, the lights? Are we singing our favorite songs? Is the preacher articulate? What's the focus? Where is our attention?

Are we more focused on the gifts or the Giver of all good gifts? Are we focused on the work, or the One for Whom we work? Do we walk with our Savior? Do we even walk before our Savior? Or does our worship happen, and we hope He attends? Are we even aware we serve a KING, that we are subjects in a KINGDOM, or that we are not our own for we have been redeemed, purchased at an enormous price? 

These aren't questions about what you do, but a heart check. Where's the focus, what gets you upset, and how do you live out the worship from Sunday? Because if you don't care, it won't bother you. But if something bothers you, clearly, you care. I suppose, then, you can see what I care about...

What about you?