Isaiah 29:13

"This people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men."

What an important warning for me to hear! It is so easy to exult in God with my mouth and honor Him with my lips while actually being quite far from Him in my heart. My heart is so deceitful. I can act right and talk right but my longings and desires are twisted and depraved, miles away from the words I'm saying. Do I really love God and find joy in Him, or do I love His gifts and find joy in His blessings to me?

This indictment makes me thankful for three things: 1) the power of the word to cut through the façade and deceit in my heart and to show me what I am really like (Hb 4:12); 2) the work of the Holy Spirit to convict me of sin and to help me see who I really am (Jn 16:8); 3) and the cross of Christ to atone for the sins of my heart and my hypocrisy and to change me radically from the inside out (2 Cor 5:17, 21).

Oh Father, by your word and your Spirit and the cross of your Son, please spare me this rebuke!