Stop bringing meaningless offerings!
(Alexander Smellie, "The Hour of Silence" 1899)
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!"
Isaiah 1:13-14
It is not mere outward ritual which
GOD asks from me.
GOD desires my adoration:
a sense of HIS solemn and consummate holiness;
a bowing low in heart and mind before
the sevenfold radiance of HIS majesty;
a realizing of HIS infinite condescension
in suffering and dying for me.
I cannot be too reverent when
I am face to face with HIM.
GOD desires my confession:
a feeling of the evil of my doings, not superficial--
but deep and penetrating;
an abhorring of myself, and
a repentance in dust and ashes;
a cry from the depths,
(Romans 7:18)
I have need to understand more vividly,
more humblingly, the exceeding sinfulness of sin.
GOD desires my petitions:
a sincere pouring out of my soul's desires;
a taking fast hold of GOD'S almighty strength;
a clinging with both hands earnestly to the ROCK of AGES.
Simply, naturally, explicitly, whole-heartedly,
let me unbosom my necessities to HIM--
that HE may answer them according
to HIS wise and holy will.
GOD desires my thanksgiving:
thanksgiving which is thanks-living also;
a humble ceasing to do evil, and
a patient learning to do well;
a glad and grateful obedience;
a bondslave's vow,
"I love my Master--
will not go out free!"
JESUS CHRIST asks all, from
the innermost pulsation of conscious being--
to the most tangible outworks of my life!
Such is the service my GOD will welcome--
my GOD who hates all meaningless offerings,
and who is wearied with mere ritualism and formality.
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