Jeremiah 9:25-26
“Stay alert! It won’t be long now”—GOD’s Decree!—“when I will personally deal with everyone whose life is all outside but no inside: Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab. All these nations are big on performance religion—including Israel, who is no better.”
“‘A time is coming,’ says the Lord, ‘when I will punish all those who are circumcised in body but not I spirit – the Egyptians, Edomites, Ammonites, Moabites, the people who live in the desert in remote places, and yes, even the people of Judah. And like all these pagan nations, the people of Israel also have uncircumcised hearts.’”
Performance religion is tempting to all of us. It is natural to honor God with the best we can give. But it turns toxic when our hearts turn from our beloved to the ritual and adornments we create to set him apart. Then we begin to worship ourselves instead. My Lord points this out to me when I falter. I can trust him to keep watch over my insides and outsides. This is good because I cannot trust myself.
Lord, thank you for being involved with your creatures. You are not remote but close, seeing all, healing and guiding all, protecting my relationship with you from all the Enemy’s attempts to tear us asunder. You are my faithful watchman Lord and I love you.