Isaiah 66:5 — Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at His word: “Your own people who hate you, and exclude you because of My name, have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy!’ Yet they will be put to shame.
Isaiah 66:1-6 reminds us of the true heart of worship. When Isaiah was inspired to write these words, those who were supposed to be God’s people were hypocrites. They were God’s people in name only. They did things in the name of God but without the heart of God.
God saw through the hypocrisy of those people who looked down on the true worshipers who trembled at His word. Those hypocrites mocked and hated the believers who truly loved and worshiped God. The hypocrites despised the humble faith of the believers who obeyed God’s word.
God called out the hypocrites and exposed their false hearts. The hypocrites made offerings of oxen, lambs, grain, and frankincense, but God viewed those offerings as murders of animals and presentations of blasphemous substances like pig’s blood and memorial incense for idols. The so-called religious crowd who did not humbly honor God’s word were doing evil in God’s sight because their hearts were not given to God.
What matters most to God about our works is not what we are doing, but in what spirit we do them. Stephen quoted from Isaiah 66 when he was put on trial by the religious Jews. Stephen called his accusers “stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, always resisting the Holy Spirit.” Our service to God must be Spirit-filled work from a new heart that is submitted to God and His word.
Let us remember Paul’s words written in 1 Corinthians 13. Even if we give away everything we own and give our bodies to be burned as a sacrifice, without love, we are nothing and we gain nothing. As we look to begin a new year tomorrow, let us pray for God’s love to fill us to overflowing so that we can be bubbling fountains of Christ’s love in this world. Love is at the heart of true worship.
12/31/2024 Devotional
"What matters most to God about our works is not what we are doing, but in what spirit we do them."
"Our service to God must be Spirit-filled work from a new heart that is submitted to God and His word."
12/31/2024 경건한 말씀
"하나님께 가장 중요한 것은 우리의 행동이 아니라 어떤 정신으로 그 주의 일을 하느냐입니다."
"하나님께 드리는 우리의 봉사는 하나님과 그분의 말씀에 순종하는 새로운 마음에서 성령 충만으로 하는 봉사여야 합니다."