Monday, July 4, 2011

Delight, not Checklists

But he who kills an ox is like one who slays a man;
He who sacrifices a lamb is like the one who breaks a dog’s neck; he who offers a grain offering is like one who offers swine’s blood; he who burns incense is like the one who blesses an idol. As they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations, so I will choose their punishments and will bring on them what they dread. Because I called, but no one answered; I spoke, but they did not listen.
And they did evil in My sight and chose that in which I did not delight. Isaiah 66:3-4

I have mentioned before that I like checklists. Tell me what to do, and I’ll try my best to do it. I’ll check each thing off the list until I’m done, and then all will be well.

But, when it comes to honoring God, it’s not about a checklist. It’s about my heart.

Reading verses like these from Isaiah reminds me of that. I truly do desire to please and honor God. I desire to find my deepest, purest delight in abiding in Him. But, there are times when I get distracted by that checklist. I need the reminder that although my actions are critical, the heart behind them is essential.

I am challenged in a couple of ways by the reminder in these verses. First, I am challenged to be restored in my delight of the Lord so that my actions will flow from that delight rather than a sense of checklist obligation. Secondly, I am challenged to take a look at my heart. Often when I fall back on trusting in that checklist, it’s because there is something I don’t want to confess or some new depth I don’t want to dive into. When I wake up and realize I’m back on that checklist, it just might be time to go a little deeper in my time of honest and open confession before the Lord.

May my obedience spring from delight and growth today!

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