The Jewish people are seen as the people of the Law. They had this saying: “Moses received the Law and delivered it to Joshua; and Joshua to the elders; and the elders to the prophets; and the prophets to the men of the great synagogue.” These men of the great synagogue were the Scribes and Pharisees. The Scribes studied the Law while the Pharisees dedicated their entire life to the careful and meticulous observance of every rule and regulation which the Scribes had worked out. In the keeping of the Law, the Scribes and Pharisees practiced a religion of public show and ostentation. In their religious practices, they removed God from the centre of worship and they became the focal point of worship. They lost the sense, meaning and purpose of religion, since the Divine no longer took pre-eminence. Therefore, when we come to worship God, let us not lose focus of him as the centre of our encounter. The worship of God should not be the time to show off our new clothes, shoes, bags, jewelries or struggle to sit in places to be noticed. Let us worship him with sincerity of heart; in spirit and in truth. Let us not take the place of God but allow him to be God.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, help me to practice a true religion that recognizes you as the centre of my worship and give you the deserved worship. Amen