Isaiah 1-5 Reflections

I've decided to go through Isaiah before school resumes again. I've done this once about 6 or 7 years ago (go through Isaiah). Even though I have only gone through chapter 5, I see a pattern already set by Israel and God. God is immutable (never changing), therefore His justice is the same. Therefore His love remains. Therefore His mercy remains.

Israel on the other hand, shows a tendency to flip-flop between right and wrong, good and evil. In fact, Isaiah even says that they make what is good, evil and what is evil, good. Taking it to a level above that, Israel does things they don't even mean. Hypocritical if you will... a phrase over used, but still drives the point in Christian circles "going through the motions". In fact, God says to them "I'm sick of your religious ways" (paraphrased, but can be shown again in Malachi). This was the point that struck a nerve with me.

I began to ask myself... Am I religious? Am I hypocritical? Do I "walk through the motions"?

Every Sunday... yes, I am religious. Random points through out the day... yes, I am hypocritical. And yes... gosh darn it! I walk through the motions. Even if as I dread saying this, I have come to the conclusion that I preach and do not practice.

And I hate it when people ask me "what do you do for a living?" because I always feel quite guilty, even if I haven't done anything wrong. Maybe it's because I become prideful or maybe I feel it's a reality checker... oh, yeah- that thing I just said, ruined this opportunity for Jesus.

However, with all that said, my challenge to myself still lies. As I sat in Sunday School and listened to my teacher, he presented the question "Why do we not write our covenants or promises down that are directed at God, but do with bills, mortgages, loans, and the like?" His answer, "Because we do not find them to be as important or binding if we don't write it down." So here it is.... the big challenge to myself... the covenants I am attempting to make:

I, Jason Swinehart, am willing to make a covenant to God to do the following:

1. TO TAKE READING GOD'S WORD AS SERIOUSLY AS I TEACH IT IS.
2. TO BRING ALL MATTERS TO GOD IN PRAYER.
3. TO NOT BE RELIGIOUS IN THE TWO PREVIOUS BEFORE THIS.

That's it. I might tackle more later, but right now... I want to specifically make time to put Christ first in my life.