PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church

Wednesday

Scripture lesson: Isaiah 1:11-17 Ritual or service?

Time to reflect: This passage was extremely shocking at the time, but it doesn't really have impact on us since we don't do animal sacrifice. However, to modernize it a bit it would be like God rejecting Communion and Baptism and formal, by-the-book worship. We would be shocked and offended. But God rejected and rejects worship that is a formality and doesn't change our lives. Before we come into worship we need to “cease to do evil and learn to do good: to seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.”

Moving through the day:Pray about the relationship between your daily life and worship.

 Scripture:

"The multitude of your sacrifices—
       what are they to me?" says the LORD.
       "I have more than enough of burnt offerings,
       of rams and the fat of fattened animals;
       I have no pleasure
       in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.

 When you come to appear before me,
       who has asked this of you,
       this trampling of my courts?

  Stop bringing meaningless offerings!
       Your incense is detestable to me.
       New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—
       I cannot bear your evil assemblies.

  Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts
       my soul hates.
       They have become a burden to me;
       I am weary of bearing them.

  When you spread out your hands in prayer,
       I will hide my eyes from you;
       even if you offer many prayers,
       I will not listen.
       Your hands are full of blood;

  wash and make yourselves clean.
       Take your evil deeds
       out of my sight!
       Stop doing wrong,

 learn to do right!
       Seek justice,
       encourage the oppressed.
       Defend the cause of the fatherless,
       plead the case of the widow.