What God wants most of all from his people is not proper religious activity, but faithfulness in worship and true obedience.
“But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God” (50:23).
It’s easier to put on a good show of religiosity than to live a life of genuine gratitude and faithfulness to God. Though we Christians aren’t offering literal sacrifices, we often focus on doing all the “right things” that show others what fine Christians we are. Yet, in private, our lives can be far from God’s intentions for us. We can look great on Sunday morning. But how do we look on Monday evening when nobody’s watching, except the Lord?
Nothing in Psalm 50 suggests that we should stop gathering with God’s people for worship or singing the songs or praying (See my previous article of Singing the Psalms) the prayers. But it does challenge us to take a good look at our whole lives.
Are we living each day for God and his purposes? Are we honoring him when we’re alone, in our daydreams, in our finances, in our secret ambitions? What really matters to God is not that we excel in religious activity, but that we offer our whole selves to him in every moment. As Jesus made it clear, our highest calling is to love God with all that we are and to love our neighbors as ourselves; see Luke 10:27.
When you read Psalm 50, it’s as if you heard God say “Gotcha!” You know how hard you work to look good to others. You can put on a show of your religion. But what about you hidden thoughts? What about your daily living? Do you offer yourself to God fully, and consistently? You know the answer to this question.
May God forgive you, for all the times you live as if He weren’t there or as if He didn’t matter. May God forgive you and I for the shallowness and hypocrisy. May God help us by His Spirit, to live for Him completely, giving Him all that we have. What matters most to Him is all ours; heart, soul, mind, and strength. May we offer our whole self to Him this day and every day ahead.
Are you ever tempted to put on a religious “show” for the sake of others? When? Are you living your life with a consistent awareness of what matters most to God?