Uncover your sin, and God cleans and covers it

Isaiah 1:12-15, 18

          “When you come to appear before Me, 

          Who has required this from your hand, 

          To trample My courts? 

    13      Bring no more futile sacrifices; 

          Incense is an abomination to Me. 

          The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies— 

          I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. 

    14      Your New Moons and your appointed feasts 

          My soul hates; 

          They are a trouble to Me, 

          I am weary of bearing them. 

    15      When you spread out your hands, 

          I will hide My eyes from you; 

          Even though you make many prayers, 

          I will not hear. 

          Your hands are full of blood. 

    18      “Come now, and let us reason together,” 

          Says the LORD, 

          “Though your sins are like scarlet, 

          They shall be as white as snow; 

          Though they are red like crimson, 

          They shall be as wool. 

Because of Israel’s ongoing, unrepentant sin, God hated their worship, their prayers of confession. He would not listen. Like Israel, we must live consistent lives of integrity. We may not live how we want to during the week, and cover it by coming here and feeling guilty for an hour or so, and then go right back to living how we want. We get reacquainted in worship with how God wants us to live, and then go do it. If we’ve got a big wall up between the two, God won’t listen to what you’re saying here. This doesn’t mean we have to be sinless for a week before God will save us. It means we must truly grieve for our sins and resolve and strive to put our sin away.


5/29/2011