Sounds Good to Me

"In those days

there was no king in Israel.

Everyone did what was right in his own eyes."

Judges 17:6 ESV

It seemed like a good idea at the time:  Go to college, earn a degree and see what happens.  The problem is, I didn't even consult the Master Planner.  Instead, I did what seemed right to me.  I guess it wasn't surprising since I lived my life based on what sounded good to me.  If I wanted to participate in a certain activity, there was nothing to hold me back as long as I felt comfortable doing it.  If a boy expressed interest in me and told me I was beautiful, I gave my heart to him because it felt right.  If a thought entered my mind, I examined it fully from every angle since I lacked any kind of filtering system.  You see, I was my own god for many years after I made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ but I failed to submit to His Lordship until I was well into my adult years.

I guess my life might not be so different from your life.  I can see it was also very similar to Micah's.  He lived during the time of the judges and did what seemed right to him;  He set up his own shrine in his home and ordained his own son to be priest.  Instead of following God's instructions for proper worship, he did things his way. He meant well; doesn't that count for something (Leviticus 8-10)?

It's easy for me to take on this same attitude, thinking that as long as I'm trying to worship God, it doesn't matter how I do it.  Let's see what God says.

Living Sacrifice

Hands held high.  Bodies swaying back and forth.  Eyes closed.  Worshipful expressions on the faces of the people. The voice of the worship leader gently prodded, "Let it go. Let God have His way with you right now in this place."  The people responded, each doing what seemed like it might look like they were worshiping God.  Meanwhile, the Lord was paying no attention to the outward appearance.  Instead, He was concerned with the hearts of His people, especially after they piled into their cars and headed home (1 Samuel 16:7).

It's easy for me to think that worship is what takes place on Sunday mornings or Wednesday evenings when I gather with other believers to sing praises to my Lord and Savior.  While this is a form of worship, if I truly want to revere and adore my Maker, I must look to scripture for instructions.

The Lord tells us clearly in Romans 12:1 how to truly worship Him.  He said through the Apostle Paul that, in light of everything He has done for me, I can give my entire life, totally surrendering to Him and His plan as a form of living and holy sacrifice to Him.  When I do this, I am worshiping God not just with my lips or in the way that seems right to me, but I am giving Him what He wants most: my heart.  

This means I will let go of my desire to control the details of my life, to decide which way I want to go, to make up my own mind as to how I will spend the time, money and gifts He has given me.  Instead, I will freely turn the responsibility of managing my life over to Him, letting Him control the ins and outs of my life, allowing Him to lead me down the path He has laid out for me, and giving Him Lordship over the resources He has so generously bestowed upon me.

I have my own idea of what worship looks like based on what I see around me, but if I want to do what is right in God's eyes, I must pay attention to His design for worship.

Pure Religion

There is much pressure to conform to my religion.  I feel guilty if I miss a Sunday at church.  I don't feel comfortable spending the money I should be tithing.  I beat myself up if I slip and let a curse word fly when I'm frustrated.  I just can't seem to live the way I think I should be living.  I would never tell anyone, but I secretly wonder what good this religion is if all it does is heap a heavy burden on my shoulders.  I already have enough to worry about!

Does this sound familiar?  It's easy turn Christianity into a set of rules to follow, a mold to which I must conform, or a way of living I think I need to mimic.  Instead, Jesus died a horrible death, emptying Himself of His divine privileges in order to make it possible for me to have a relationship with the One who loves me perfectly (Philippians 2:6-8, Romans 5:10, 1 John 3:1a).

Consequently, it is my relationship with a loving and merciful God that is most important (Luke 10:38-42).  Instead of trying to follow a set of religious rules, then, I can simply follow Him (Matthew 11:28-30). As I fall into step with Him, I will find that He changes my heart, giving me a desire to do things that please Him (Philippians 2:13).  As a result, my religion will begin to morph into something more in line with what God has in mind.

Instead of feeling pressure to go to church and listen to the Bible being taught, I will take in His Word as if it were life itself, letting it cut out the parts of me that don't line up (Hebrews 4:12).  Instead of doing service out of obligation, I will discover a passion for helping the widows and orphans God places in my life:  It will be a joy to help take care of their needs  (James 1:27).  Likewise, instead of trying so hard to clean up my language out of duty, I will find that I want to honor God with my words and to stay separate from the ways of the world which resonate deeply to my sin nature (James 1:26-27).

I have an idea of what religion looks like based on a set of rules, but if I want to do what is right in God's eyes, I will have to instead focus on my relationship with Him.

Obedience

At this time of year, many people decide to give something up for Lent.  It might be a certain habit, an indulgence, or an activity each offers as a sacrifice.  Whatever is surrendered, the idea is to give it up for 40 days before Easter as a symbol of turning back to God.

While this can have some real spiritual impact, for most people it is a temporary sacrifice made out of obligation.  The hope may be that the fast will last for the rest of their lives, but nearly all who give something up for Lent go back to their old ways once Easter rolls around.

Samuel, the prophet and final judge of the nation of Israel, delivered a message from God to Saul when he similarly tried to give a sacrifice as a way to earn God's favor before an important battle.  Instead of obeying God's instructions to the "t," however, Saul tried to use the offering as a sort of talisman, hoping that it would result in God's stamp on approval of him as king before he entered into combat. Saul wanted the power God wields without wanting God Himself.  Samuel set him straight, telling him that, "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams" (1 Samuel 15:22).

Instead of trying to give something up for the sake of giving it up, then, I would be better off paying attention to His Word and yielding to His work in my life.  When I sense His gentle prodding to forgive a sister who has wounded me deeply, it would please Him most if I let go of the hurt that is eating me up inside (Ephesians 4:32). When I know He is telling me it is important to wait on His time, I would give Him pleasure if I stopped my forward progress to give His plan a chance to work out in my life (Isaiah 40:31). When I read in His Word that love is more important than any of the gifts I can use in His name, opening my heart to let His love flow through me would put a smile on my Father's face (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).

I may be tempted to make sacrifices to prove the seriousness of my faith, but if I want to do what is right in God's eyes, I would be better off putting my efforts into obedience.  

I am not so different from Micah, the Old Testament character who tried to worship God in a way that seemed right to him.  When I do what is right in my own eyes, however, I am not pleasing God.  If I want to give Him pleasure, then, I must offer my life as a sacrifice, focus on growing closer in my relationship with Him, and make obedience my greatest desire.  In these ways I'll stop doing what sounds good to me and start doing what truly is good in God's eyes.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can stop following a form of religion that leads nowhere.

When do I follow a list of rules instead of my Father who loves me?

How am I more focused on a religion instead of my relationship with the Lord? 


Originally published on March 31, 2014