Are you chasing shadows......

I have been studying the feasts of the Lord, and reading a good bit about Passover. Today I was reading and came across a verse or two that absolutely smacked me slap upside of my head. It may not assault you in the same fashion, but I'm gonna share it anyway cause I'm preachy like that. Here it is:
Isaiah 1:13-14
13.Bring no more vain offerings;
incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—
I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.
14.Your new moons and your appointed feasts
my soul hates; they have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.

Wow!! Why would God be weary of, and hate the feasts that he himself set up? Have you ever gone to church and left feeling like you did your duty? Let's be honest here, 'cause I have. Thank goodness I don't anymore. You see, I don't think he hated the feasts or convocations themselves. I think he hated the show that they had become. The people misunderstood and distorted God's law. They abandoned a personal relationship with God and instead they sought self-righteousness through keeping requirements of the Law.Can you see where Easter might be a time of just filling a duty? It's a festival of sorts for the Christian. We have a big celebration, gather together with friends and family and have a feast and practice many traditions. It may be dying eggs, or hiding them, making baskets, finding the perfect dress, or glazing the honey ham, and of course attending church service. All of these things are wonderful things to do, as long as we keep our focus on the main thing, and that's Jesus. Otherwise we miss the real thing 'cause we're too busy chasing a shadow. You see the festivals were set up to point to the Messiah, but if we get too busy being caught up in all that goes on around the day itself we will miss Him and only catch a glimpse of that shadow.
My husband used to work in the evening and get home late in the night. Many nights I would lay in bed still awake when he would quietly enter the house. My heart would beat faster in anticipation as I would see the outline of his Shadow coming down the hall, but when he finally made his way into the room, I didn't hug his shadow, I hugged him. Let's make sure that we are not so busy this week that we are so focused on the shadow, or superficial traditions of the day, that we don't embrace Jesus the real person.