Israel is in bad shape. They are questioning God’s love for them. They are the chosen people of a God who is love, of a God whose merciful lovingkindness is enduring and everlasting.

Israel is also questioning how they are despising God’s name and not honoring Him. They don’t see it. They see themselves making offerings to God. They think they are doing okay. Okay is enough for them when it comes to God.

God laments that He wishes someone would just shut the doors to the temple so they wouldn’t keep offering sinful offerings. Their service to God is all in vain. He takes no pleasure in it.

Does God wish churches would close their doors? You bet.

How are we like Israel? How are we questioning His love? How are we not honoring His name and profaning the offering?

Everyone who has ever said they are mad at God is questioning His love and severely lacking in the fear of God. There is no honor toward God if you are acting like you are mad at Him. He can’t not love. He can’t not be good. The issue is with you, not God. He’s perfect. You aren’t.

We sing worship songs at church that are more worship of self than God. We sing songs that make us feel good. We like the way they make us feel. We sing songs we enjoy singing. We sing songs that talk about ourselves. We aren’t thinking about what songs will honor God, what will please Him.

We offer the leftovers of our time, money, energy. We offer a part of our heart, mind, soul, and strength, reserving most of it for ourselves.

We encourage each other in our sin, assuring each other that we’re all sinners, instead of calling each other to pure hearts and minds and surrendering everything to become living sacrifices to God.

We need the fear of the Lord. Pray for the fear of the Lord.