We Need Worship to Make Sense of Our Activism

SEVERAL CHRISTIAN TRADITIONS celebrate the season of Epiphany from the feast of the Epiphany (Jan. 6), which celebrates the arrival of the Magi (Matthew 2), through Transfiguration Sunday, which falls before Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of the season of Lent. “Epiphany” is from a Greek word meaning “to reveal.” Jesus was revealed to the non-Jewish world through the Magi and continued to show himself in multiple ways throughout his ministry, culminating (before the resurrection) in the glorious appearance on the mountain (Matthew 17). There, Jesus’ disciples saw the fullness of his glory. Their response was one of awe and reverence, but even that missed the importance of the moment. God spoke from heaven saying, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” (17:5). What were they to hear from Jesus? What are we?

Is it possible that we have experienced something special and then want to praise the Lord, but still misunderstand what is required for acceptable worship? From what kind of people does God receive praise? Who qualifies to come into God’s presence and worship? Do attitudes and actions toward others matter? These are the questions that drive our devotional reflections this month.

It is often said that true worship must come from the heart. That is true as far as it goes—but these passages teach us that worship is very much a matter of our hands and feet too. The arena that molds us into a people fit for worship is the public square.

February 2

Sued By God?

WHO CAN ENTER before God to worship? asks the psalmist. Psalm 15 lists the virtues that are expected in order to enter for worship: truth-telling, care and respect of neighbor, and open-handed generosity. These qualities are to be practiced in everyday life, especially with the disadvantaged.

Micah 6:8 is well-known in justice circles—“to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” But it is easy to miss the full thrust and context of this message. In Micah 6, the Lord brings a lawsuit against the people for forgetting what (notice how many times this word appears in verses 1-8) had been done on their behalf. In the ancient world, when the gods were angry, they had to be appeased with gifts. This idea drives the question in Micah 6:6: What will the Lord demand to turn from judgment?

Many from nonliturgical traditions answer the questions in verses 6-7 with a resounding “No!” No, we won’t come before the Lord with “burnt offerings” or “calves.” But, in the ancient world, a religious person would have said, “Yes!” The more extravagant the offering the better! The last option, though, would give pause: Our firstborn?

God’s response to what the Lord requires comes in verse 8: We are “to do justice,” “to love kindness,” and “to walk humbly with God.” The Lord wants us involved in acts of justice done in sacrificial love toward others, not self-righteously or for our own gain. The third demand is important: We walk humbly with God as we embody this. This is not our work; it is God’s work. Involvement in work for justice and mercy is good, says Micah, and required for acceptable worship. As we do this work, we can claim the blessing of Jesus (Matthew 5:1-12).

February 9

Roadblocked By Sin

WHERE CAN WE find God? This is the cry of the human heart. Many think that performing some religious ritual is the key to connecting with God. Isaiah 58 says that Israel believed that the Lord would respond to their fasting. If they did without food, then that would get God’s attention! But the passage tells us that sin was the real roadblock. Their sin negated self-righteous self-denial. What was this sin?

The fast God demanded was self-sacrificial provision of justice for the needy. Blessing would come if they did these things; then, their fasting would reflect a truly penitent and compassionate heart. For us, the needy are the poor, widows and orphans, trafficked women and children, immigrants and refugees, and so many more. Psalm 112 echoes this message and adds that a just person can feel secure in the Lord. Jesus uses the images of salt and light as a call to point the world to right living (Matthew 5:13-16). In obedience we fulfill the commandments and are deemed righteous (verses 17-20).

These passages turn on its head any worship that celebrates the quality of the musical performance and the entertainment value of the preaching. They undermine any confidence that church attendance guarantees God’s favor. In the Bible there is no separating a life dedicated to justice from acceptable religious practices. We need justice to give substance to our faith; we need worship because our activism makes no sense without our faith. This is how we can find God.

February 16

Outdated Rituals?

CHRISTIANS OFTEN RECOIL when they hear the word “law,” as introduced here by the psalmist. They may assume that it refers to a legalistic religion left behind with the coming of Jesus. But why does the Bible tell us that the law is good, worthy of praise, and a joy? The problem is that we assume that the law refers only to outdated rituals.

The law of Moses contains instructions about every area of life—food, family, property, care of animals, and much more—all bound together within a deeply religious worldview. It also has a lot to say about caring for widows, orphans, the poor, and foreigners. In other words, to love the law and the commandments is to embrace God’s social concerns.

God’s commitment to the needy was made concrete in many laws for their protection and provision. In Matthew 5, Jesus reminds us these laws were not only about external actions. God looks much deeper: Respect for others is a window into the heart. This is serious business. These passages in Matthew warn against taking God’s social demands lightly.

Have we ever considered that legislation for the needy actually matters to God? For example, we should be encouraged that working for reform in our immigration laws and refugee policies is actually pleasing to God. The Lord matched compassion for the needy with specific laws in ancient Israel, and so must we. Our efforts to make our nation’s laws more just—even if others do not understand our motivation—reveal our obedience and are one way God is at work today.

February 23

Majestic Moments

WHEN WE SEE something amazing (like a sunset, a mountain, or a beautiful forest) or go to a special event (like a graduation, a wedding, or a ministry celebration), we want to remember it. We take pictures, trying to capture the moment. Somehow those photos never reproduce how it felt to be there and actually see what we saw.

When Jesus takes three disciples up a mountain and appears in full glory at the transfiguration, Peter wants to build shelters for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. How incredible! It was like God’s appearance to Moses in a cloud on another mountain (Exodus 24). It was the epiphany of God’s Son (Psalm 2). In those days, Jews connected the coming of the Messiah with Moses and Elijah, and here they were all together! If they could build those shelters, then they might hold on to that experience for themselves and others.

They misunderstood what had happened and were forbidden to tell anyone what they had seen. It was impossible to freeze the event. More important, this epiphany was a foretaste of Jesus’ resurrection (Matthew 17:9). His death would come at the hands of the authorities (16:21-23), and that death meant that the disciples would carry their own cross (16:24-28). Glory follows suffering.

As we do God’s work, we may have glimpses of God’s majesty. This is a privilege and a joy. Instead of trying to package that experience, let’s put it into perspective. It is a preview of something beyond what we can imagine: a greater revelation of Jesus, who shares his glory with us. That truth is enough to hold on to.