I realize next week is Thanksgiving, and everyone is talking about gratitude. But today, LOYALTY speaks to my heart.
Many today are loyal to patriotism, a political party, or an ideology. Most are loyal to marriage, family, and friends.
But more importantly, are we loyal to God? Loyalty and worship of GOD and His Word must come above any human being or human institution -- including our denomination, our church, our pastor, our congregation, or our tradition.
Sometimes denominational doctrine, practice, or culture gets in the way. Churches, pastors, and congregations can lose their way. When this happens, our focus is diverted by messages, drama, or division that impede our worship.
A WORSHIP service needs to promote worship, drawing us closer to God and encouraging us to be more like Jesus.
Jesus taught and exemplified love, grace, and forgiveness. He did not preach judgment. His indignant anger was only displayed when the temple was mistreated.
Think about that.
To be like Jesus, we need to show love, grace, and forgiveness for our fellow worshippers.
Also, like Jesus, we need indignant anger when the temple is mistreated.
Do our messages promote love, grace, and forgiveness?
Do they encourage us to be more like Jesus?
Or do they encourage judging others?
Does church culture promote drama and division that detracts from worshipping God?
Maybe, just maybe, that is mistreating God's temple.
Let's redirect our loyalty to GOD above all.
This Thanksgiving, let's direct our gratitude and our focus on HIM.
"But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind."
James 1:6 NLT
Thank you for this beautiful message.
Thanks for this important reminder, Dianne. We do often get caught up in earthly distractions rather than focusing on the primacy of God.
I’m cheering for this newsletter. Jesus’ anger got hot when in the outer court of the temple merchants and money got in the way of worship, blocking not only Jews but other ethnics from worshipping in the temple. He also used very strong language against religious leaders who hammered people with the law without obeying it themselves.
I want to be loyal to a God who loves all nationalities and opens the doors to Spirit-led worship.