It certainly isn’t easy to tell, but eventually, it becomes apparent. More often than anyone of us care to admit, we have all been there and done it. So often, we work even harder to improve the impressive performance of our outward motions to compensate for our growing inner awareness of our deepening dearth of spiritual emotions. With an inner awareness of barrenness, we refine, polish and carefully, with great skill, present all the right motions.
How pleasing to God it must have been as He surveyed our world and rested His eyes on a little home in an unnamed town in the hill country of Judah. Under that roof, away from the scrutinizing eyes of the people, a husband and wife pleased and honoured God. About Elizabeth and Zechariah, the Word of God records this commendation:
They were both righteous (godly and upright) in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. Luke 1:6
Oh yes, Zechariah had a very public role. But there is reason to believe that when he was “on duty” in the temple in Jerusalem, people saw him as authentic – not a proud religious hypocrite. There was no disconnect between his “observable conduct” and the Godly words he spoke or the procedures he practised.
The Bible says the walk of the couple was blameless. No one could point their finger at Zechariah for any inconsistencies in his life – where his behaviour did not measure up to his profession or his public spiritual role. As for Elizabeth, she was a complement to everything her husband did in public.
The truth is this: we could meet the standards for outward performance, and carefully go through all the right motions and do it with great skill. It is also possible to be blameless in public but barren before the Lord. We could pass the public perception test, but would we pass the ultimate test?
Zechariah and Elizabeth passed the ultimate test. Their private life with the Lord was the force behind their public life. There was no disconnect between what the people observed openly and what God enjoyed in the deepest chambers of their hearts. True, they were not free from sin, but with humility, they honoured the Lord in their lives and were true and real before God and the people.
Read the verse again and notice that they were both “righteous before God.”
Zechariah was unlike many of his contemporary colleagues and, yes, his predecessors. When he functioned on behalf of the Lord as a Jewish priest, it was so much more than merely going through the mechanical motions. When the couple carefully observed the commandments of the Lord – it was so much deeper than the shiny veneer of outward compliance!
In God’s eyes, Zechariah and Elizabeth were a humble, authentic couple with great integrity. Their secret life was totally known to God, and He enjoyed communion with them. They walked with God and before God as godly people and upright.
God has always found the facade of correct ‘religious’ motions, carried out by cold, distant and proud hearts, particularly offensive. Yes, God is still offended by proud outward religiosity – when one’s heart is far from being right with God.
Are you concerned about living most of your Christian life ‘just going through the motions’? Would you like to make a change? Do you think you would experience a deeper joy, a sweeter inner peace, and a more fruitful life for God if you weren’t just going through the motions? What would it take for you to turn the corner on this matter?
Some of you will recognize the lyrics of Matthew West’s song. For those of you who don’t sing hymns like this, get over the gottas, and the wannas and get to the point of his song.
The Motions
This might hurt; it’s not safe
But I know that I’ve gotta make a change.
I don’t care if I break,
At least I’ll be feeling something
‘Cause just okay is not enough.
Help me fight through the nothingness of life.
I don’t wanna go through the motions
I don’t wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking,
“What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?”
As this Bible Bite concludes, could this be your prayer today?
"Lord, my outward motions and emotions either help or hinder people from seeing something of Your beauty through me. But before You and You alone, I feel an urgency about my inward condition and my passion for You. I repent, Father and cry for your restoring power to make the necessary changes in my private walk with You that will bring You delight and pleasure."
Don’t hesitate to share a thought from your personal experience or a verse that has been a blessing to you – in the comment section below. Or, if you would like to reach out privately, click below.
