Welcome to my world of run-on sentences and shameless over use of commas. All posts loosely based on true stories as viewed by a sleep deprived drama queen..........

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

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.

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5 comments:

beckyjomama said...

Amen and AMEN!!

JLI said...

Becky read my mind...that's EXACTLY what I was going to comment with!

Ah, why not?

Amen and AMEN!!

And so true. I have been staying my heart and mind on Him as much as possible. And He has richly blessed me with the reminder that His love for me is greater than ANYTHING in the world. Oh, I love Jesus!!

said...

Preach it, sister. You are SO right. I can identify with this far too much; our church is very into tradition for tradition's sake, and nothing more. So ready for some real worship! And tired of doing it only home alone. Wish I could be part of a body of believers truly praising the Lord; it's been so long.

4 J's said...

Excellent! Thanks for that word!

Christi said...

You know that is something that I have been mulling over, off and on, for years. About the rituals, I mean.

Having grown up baptist, I find the things like Lent, Advent, etc facinating. Each time I learn something about them, or the Jewish traditions, I get another picture of God and a deeper understanding of Him. I understand why they are not commonly done (ritualistic can turn into idolatry, blah, blah, blah). But I think they threw out the baby with the bathwater.

Maybe part of the reason I like them is they are unfamiliar in addition to not feeling like I am going to hell if I skip lent. I don't know.

But I agree, if it becomes one more thing to check off your list then it isn't what He wants.