Nothing is more blah than routine duty. Just going through the motions of completing a checklist without passion or meaning is as exciting as eating a bowl of sand. It becomes wearisome fast. This is a uniquely human problem because we are designed to pursue a higher purpose and desire ultimate good. In other words, we were created by God – for him. He is our higher purpose and our ultimate good.
When we disconnect our daily lives from our worship – as if there is the spiritual part of life, then there is the unrelated secular part – not only will the routines of life become wearisome, but our worship becomes wearisome to God. The first half of Isaiah’s prophecy paints a poignant picture of this problem. His chosen people, Israel, were living compartmentalized lives. They would dutifully perform their rites of worship, but their worship had nothing to do with the rest of their lives.
When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts?
Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations — I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.
Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.
Isaiah 1:12–14
This was the issue that Jesus addressed with the outwardly religious people of his day, “This people honors me with their lips but their heart is far from me” (Matt. 15:8 quoting Isa. 29:13). Outwardly they worshipped, but inwardly there was self-preeminence, greed, and hostility. They were committed to the form of worship, but there was no substance in their worship, it was empty – even to the point of not recognizing the object of their worship when he stood in their presence.
The point is this: you pursue what you desire. God wants your heart because he is your highest good and deepest satisfaction – you were made for him. Loving him is your ultimate good and the definition of your success. But there is a battle for your affections. Israel lost that battle and became dysfunctional and desolate. But if you “delight yourself in the LORD… he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). In other words, you will find yourself satisfied when God has your heart.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Psalm 73:25–26
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