Seven-Day Practical Faith Blog: Giving Lip Service to God

Have you ever given lip service to God? By that, I mean you say and intend one thing but do the opposite. I certainly have. I don't think I meant to give lip service, but if I reflect on the the situation, I did indeed.

Or perhaps I intended the whole of something but only did half of it. That too is lip service.

Or maybe my body accomplished the task, but my heart wasn't involved. Oh, that's a big one!

God wasn't happy with Israel's lip service in Isaiah 58:3-5 (NIV).

‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,    

‘and you have not seen it?

Why have we humbled ourselves,    

and you have not noticed?’

“Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please    

and exploit all your workers.

Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,    

and in striking each other with wicked fists.

You cannot fast as you do today    

and expect your voice to be heard on high. Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,   

only a day for people to humble themselves?

Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed    

and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?

Is that what you call a fast,    

a day acceptable to the Lord?

I want to zero in on the phrase, "you do as you please." This is the center of lip service. We may acknowledge the Lord in some way but still basically do as we please. Nothing has changed. We have tipped our hat to God and just kept going like always.

When we avoid lip service, we allow God to change us. We obey. We do what God wants and stick to it with our whole hearts.

This day, this week, in our practical faith journeys, let us consider the ways in which we give God lip service then continue to do as we please. Let us pray for God to point out our failings, as with the Israelites in the passage. Let us resolve to obey and to let the Lord change us.

When we do, I believe we will develop a more meaningful life that serves God in deeper ways.

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