Read

Hosea 2:14-8:1-14

Hosea 4:1, “Hear the word of the Lord, O people of Israel! The Lord has brought charges against you, saying: ‘There is no faithfulness, no kindness, no knowledge of God in your land.’”

Hosea 6:6, “I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know Me more than I want burnt offerings.”

Think

Webster’s Dictionary defines lip service as “an avowal of advocacy, adherence, or allegiance expressed in words but not backed by deeds.” As we read about Israel’s actions, we discover how well-fitting this description really is. Time after time, God sent prophets to let them know He saw their “lip service” in their ritualistic sacrifices. He also saw how they mistreated orphans and widows and blatantly worshiped false gods. They didn’t understand that obedience was a greater expression of love than their “worship routine.“

It’s easy to read about these warnings and wonder why they didn’t heed them. Unfortunately, though, we can find ourselves doing the same today. Too many times, we allow life to become a fast-paced routine that just happens to include church as a check on the list of to-do items each week. But God wants more than that for His children. He desires to be in a relationship with us. He wants us to know and love Him just as much as He knows us and loves us. It’s only then that we can experience the overflow of peace and joy from a heart full of love for our Creator.

Pray

Heavenly Father, I want to know You more. I’m done with giving lip service. I want to experience that peace and joy that only You can give. I love You and worship You alone, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.