November 19
I was reading in Luke the other morning when I came across Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. He called them “Foolish ones,” and then uttered a number of “Woe’s” regarding their behavior. One phrase caught my attention right away in verse 42, “the love of God,” because we are studying the attribute of God’s love on Sundays. “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God.” [Luke 11:42 NKJV]
Jesus rebuked them for paying more attention to their religious observances than to the love of God. Some of the translations say that that they neglected the love of God, others that they passed over it. I like the way the NKJV says it … they passed by.
God’s love was and is openly displayed. Mankind has seen it from the beginning in the Garden of Eden, all the way through the Old Testament and into the New. We see it in His grace, His mercy, His goodness. God has never hidden it away. And yet, far too often we walk right past it.
Just as the Pharisees paid more attention to things they thought would please God, we do also. We think we can win His attention or approval by religious rites or doctrines. We include or exclude people. We serve up our own brand of what we think God wants. And we walk right past Him.
What God wants is for us to stop, to embrace His love and justice. He wants us to accept His invitation of grace and offering of mercy found in the work of His Son, Christ Jesus. He wants us to bow our knees at the name of Jesus, the One the Father has set at His right hand. He desires us to come into His Family, to be His sons and daughters.
Let’s not get so caught up in doing things we pass by the love of God. Let’s stop. Let’s embrace His love of us. Let’s experience today, right now, His blessed mercies and grace.
