The Habitual Heart - A
Soul Snack 133/11 ... The Habitual Heart - A
Leaping aloft from the pages of Isaiah 58 are words of challenge and not words of comfort.
From an uncharacteristic shout the only God of grace explains that Israel's fasting is as hollow as their faithfulness is empty.
The Israelites had completed the acts of ritual but neglected the acts of relationship. Faith had yet again been sacrificed on the altar of indulgence.
Your fasting ends in quarrelling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. (Is 58:4)
They knew spiritual habits but not spiritual hearts.
God is only ever interested in righteousness above right ritual. It is the heart behind the habit that God is ONLY interested in.
Jesus died for relationship with you - not ritual from you.
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6)
Today's Soul Snippet:
"Ritual acts are the undoing of authentic religion." Brennan Manning