I'm trecking my way through Isaiah. This morning, one of the chapters I read was chapter 29 and it brought a song that I haven't heard for quite some time to mind.
"Cause I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
Without Your all-consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything
Instead of going through the motions?’”
Whew. If that doesn’t hit you right between the ribs, CHECK YOUR PULSE.
Because, friend, this chapter of Isaiah is basically God saying, “I’m tired of My people going through the motions.”
Jerusalem (He calls her Ariel) looked polished on the outside....worship services running on schedule, sacrifices offered, songs sung.
But their hearts? Gone.
They were just showing up.
Sound familiar?
Have you ever caught yourself doing the right thing with the wrong heart?
Praying....but distracted.
Worshipping....but worrying.
Saying “Amen,” but secretly thinking about what’s for lunch.
That was Jerusalem. And God said, “These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.”
In other words, they’re singing the song, but they’ve forgotten WHO it’s about.
He wasn’t after their perfection....HE WAS AFTER THEIR AFFECTION.
Because to God, love without heart is just noise.
Isaiah said that the people had become spiritually blind and deaf. The Word felt like a sealed book...not because God was silent, but because they’d stopped listening.
When we ignore God long enough, He lets the volume fade.
Not to punish us, but to wake us up.
I will be so bold to say that sometimes, He’ll even shake things up in your life just to get your attention.
Think about it....has God ever had to rattle your routine just to remind you that your heart matters more than your habit?
Here’s the good part (because, remember, God ALWAYS leaves us a lifeline)....
After all that tough love, He says He’s going to do something marvelous.
Something that flips the script! The proud will be humbled, the humble lifted, the blind will see, and joy will rise out of the dust.
He’s not giving up on His people.
He’s calling them back.
Back to sincerity, to awe, to passion.
Back to Him.
Have you been running on spiritual autopilot lately? You still love Jesus, but if you’re honest… the spark’s dimmed.
Well, guess what.....THIS IS YOUR WAKE UP CALL.....and even better....IT'S SOAKED IN GRACE!
Because the same God who called out fake worship in Isaiah 29 is the SAME God who can reignite real fire in you today!
So, I encourage you to go check out Matthew West's song.
Pray it, sing it, cry it if you need to....
“I don’t wanna go through the motions…”
Get your heart back in it.
Worship like you mean it.
Love Him like you remember who He is.
Because the moment you give Him everything......that’s when He gives you everything back.
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