The word of God says,

“Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths
And honor Me with their lips,
But have removed their hearts far from Me,
And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men” Isaiah 29:13NKJV

By the way “these people” refers to God’s covenantal people (the Israelites), like us, Christians. And these people were seen frequently in the house of God. In our present age, we can interpret it as, they attend every church program. They have perfect church attendance, not only on Sunday but any day the church may have a program/conference.

“These people” do everything they are supposed or expected to do. Sing, raise their hands to worship God, involve in one or two church ministries (like choir or the church media) and they always get to church on time and stay there until the service ends. Their faithful church attendance and their services are very much noticed and appreciated by all the church members especially by the church leaders. So, they are considered very important people for the church and other Christians.

However, even if “these people” look perfect from the outside, pleasing everyone around them, they misplaced or “removed” something from their inside. That “something” is the most important thing in the world of knowing, fearing, loving and worship God. That is their heart. They removed their heart from all their spiritual devotions but no one notices that except God.

Why God?

God is the One we know, love, worship and fear in our heart and what is happening in our heart dictates our lifestyle, not only our church attendance and the services we give to others.

Because “these people” removed their heart, they were able to please everyone except God. And other than God, there is one other person they’re doing a disservice to, to their own soul. As far as these people are concerned, they are very satisfied by making everybody happy.

The word of God says,

“How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?” John 5:44NKJV

Wow! Did you see that?

The honor that comes only from God comes when God pleased in what He sees in His people’s heart. And the only thing that can please God to see in their heart is His only Son, Jesus Christ, who died for “His people.”

Hmm!

So, how can the son of God, Jesus Christ, be seen in God’s people, in you and me?

Well, the word of God says,

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1, 14ESV

Wow! The Word became flesh, dwelt among us, full of grace and truth! Who? The Word of God! Jesus Christ!

Please read the following: –

“Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.” Psalm 1:1-3ESV

This man is called “blessed!” – A blessed man, according to Jewish thinkers, is “the man who is to increase in joy, peacefulness” – a man God bestowed on him His gift and favor.

My! My! My!

I want to be this man, don’t you? I do!

Well, this man’s “delight is in the law of the LORD,” means, in the oracle or word of God. He is not just delight in the word, rather “he meditates” the word “day and night.”

The word likens this man as “a tree.” Not just a tree but a tree planted well, its roots strong because they are well nourished. The tree is not just standing for the purpose of to stand there as a tree but more so to give all the glory, praise and honor to the One who bestowed it favor and grace, this in short called “he prospers.”

And this man, compare to “the people” Isaiah is talking about above, is the total opposite of them. This man’s heart is not “removed” but engaged there in all his worship, activities, ministries and even his own life. That means, his mind gets “renewed” every day by the word of God that he meditates on “day and night.” That means, this man doesn’t get up and pray saying to God, “Show me Your will in a thunder or something so I know where to go or not to go and what to do or not do.” Are you serious?

The man has a brain that works, a mind that is mentored by the word of God. He is not a zombie but an honorable human being with a working mind.

When he receives counsel from people, whether the counsel comes to him beautifully and perfectly packaged by “The host of God says this to you,” he filters everything in the word of God that is in his heart and receives the counsel or rejects it.

The opposite of this “blessed man” is called “wicked!”

Why wicked?

His heart is removed, means, his heart has many things in it and doesn’t have any space for the word of God. This man is likened by “chaff” – “Chaff is the dry, scaly protective casing of the seeds of cereal grains or similar fine, dry, scaly plant material.” Wikipedia

Listen:

“The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.” Psalm 1:4ESV

In short, this man’s brain is withered and/or frozen! If someone comes to him and says, “The LORD sent me to you to tell you that it is God’s will for you to eat this grass so that you will prosper,” he won’t think twice. He goes busy grazing the grass.

Yes, that is who we all are if our heart “is removed” from God. When our heart is not filled in the word of God where knowledge and wisdom are hidden in (Colossians 2:2-3), we act and live like “chaff,” any wind which blows on us from anywhere will take us.

And can you imagine a beautiful woman being “a chaff!” If she is single, she is like a magnet for false teachers/prophets and the so-called “man-of-gods.” I mean, hello! She doesn’t ask anything. She says, “His Facebook posts bless my heart every morning.” When you say to her, “But he divorced his wife right after she gave birth and he doesn’t want to hear about her or the child,” she responds, “God is the judge! No one can judge. I am sure God told him to do that for the reason only he and God know.”

What do you say to that woman? Forward this post to her? Maybe! What else? Lots and lots of women removed their hearts from God and follow men and women who claim to know God and hear from God in a special way.

Oh, LORD, search me! Is my heart removed in any of my worship, service and prayer? If so, please have mercy on me! Oh, save me from being chaff, which is the lot of everyone who does not meditate on Your word day and night! ///