July 3

God’s expectation of us goes far beyond what man requires or what man’s religions require. We are preoccupied with appearances. What will others think of us? How can we present ourselves in order to convey our lofty spiritual status to those around us?

Our religious leaders tend to reinforce this focus on religiosity. Days have been set aside to honor those who’ve gone before us in the faith. Do we attend these services? Are we mindful of church-wide fasts that have been called to promote righteousness?

And that is not to suggest that we should not study the lives of those who’ve gone before us, for they certainly are role models we can follow toward our own spiritual maturity. We should certainly fast to seek the Lord’s face and implore His hand to move in the behalf of people and circumstances about which we pray.

But what is in the deepest recesses of our hearts is the essence of what touches God’s heart and moves His hand in our behalf. Romans 14: 17-19 makes His priorities very clear. It says, “The Kingdom of God is not in eating or drinking but in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Anyone who serves Jesus in this way is pleasing to God.”