“Talk is cheap” so goes the phrase meaning that what a person says is made worthless if not matched with actions. We all like that person who follows through on his promises, don’t we? I recently purchased new windows for my home. My first meeting was with a salesperson who obviously was a great talker. Barry knew all the ‘right’ things to say, emphasizing the quality of their product, listening for cues for what I thought I needed. Not being born yesterday, I listened to him for an hour trying to discern between the sales hype and the facts. I made the deposit starting the process. When the project manager came to measure the openings for window production and to determine what would be needed for the installation, I found a few discrepancies between the salesman’s assurance about how it would be done and the reality. The manager made me smile when he said “The guys in sales have one job - close the deal! I have to make it work.” A couple of days ago the job was finished and I am pleased with the results!
Jesus asks those of us who bear His Name to watch our words! In His Sermon on the Mount He tells us “You don’t make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong.” (The Message, Matthew 5:34-37) A stinging accusation made by unbelievers about Christians is one dealing with hypocrisy. We give fuel to our critics if we say things that are not true about our faith, if we try to sound more ‘religious’ than we are, when we cover our fear or doubt with brave but insincere proclamation. Better to keep quiet than to lie by implication. When we are authentic, admitting to gaps we have yet to close between our profession of and our actions, we when admit that we have yet to understand some of the mysteries of faith, we do well.
God is offended when we come to Him with songs of worship unmatched by the state of our heart. His words are strong! “I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!" (Amos 5:20-24, NIV) IF we what sing and say on Sunday morning is disconnected from how we live on Monday, it is more than insincere, it is a sin in the eyes of God Himself.
Oh yes, we do sometimes speak and/or sing from a place of
faith, knowing the truth, but yet to fully own it for ourselves. That is not
wrong, if we understand that we are work in progress and admit honestly
to our humanity. For example, I love to
sing “Great is Thy Faithfulness” in worship. The lyrics are an affirmation of the
amazing goodness of God. Do I always feel that kind of assurance? Not at all. Sometimes I grow frustrated by
what seems to be unfulfilled promises. As raise my voice to sing “Morning by
morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided. Great is
Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me” another part of me says, “But, God, what about
….?” My desire in those moments is not
to cover my doubts but to confess them, asking that my song informs my growing
faith.
The same holds true for my engagement with Scripture. There
are passages that offer wonderful hope but that I have not fully owned in
faith. I read them with a prayer for
inspiration, that God, the Holy Spirit, will write them into my mind and heart
so that the Truth shapes my life.
Worship and contemplative prayer are indispensable parts of the life of the Christian who desires spiritual growth and authencity. In such moments, we need not make ‘noise’ to impress God, need not spill out a torrent of words to sell Jesus, are freed from the need to create an image of spirituality. In the Presence of God there is healing and growth; we are led to become real, going beyond cheap talk to the true value of holy living.
Here is a word from the Word. In this passage we are
challenged and encouraged at the same time, reminded that God sees and knows
the truth about us while assured that Jesus is our “Great High Priest” praying
for us. May we be people who are authentic disciples, who match our profession
of faith with our possession of faith. "For the word of
God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates
even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and
attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.
Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must
give account.
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through
the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our
weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we
are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with
confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time
of need." (Hebrews 4:11-16, NIV) Hallelujah, what a Savior!
(Video of this blog at this link)
____________________
Make my life a prayer to You,
I want to do what you want me to,
No empty words, no white lies,
No token prayers, no compromise,
I want to shine the Light You gave,
through Your Son You sent to save us,
from ourselves and our despair,
it comforts me to know You're really there.
Well, I want to thank You now for being patient with me,
Oh, it's so hard to see, when my eyes on me!
I guess, I'll have trust and just believe what You say,
Lord, You're coming again, Coming to take me away.
Melody Green © 1978 EMI Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music
Publishing; Admin. by BMG Music Publishing
CCLI License No. 810055
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