Our burden-bearer
But, dear family of Jacob, you refuse to ask for my help. You have grown tired of me, O Israel! You have not brought me sheep or goats for burnt offerings. You have not honored me with sacrifices, though I have not burdened and wearied you with requests for grain offerings and frankincense. You have not brought me fragrant calamus or pleased me with the fat from sacrifices. Instead, you have burdened me with your sins and wearied me with your faults. Isaiah 43:16-21 NLT
From the text, Isaiah has provided the path for people seeking to follow God and experience the transformation He alone provides. This begins with turning to God in repentance and aligning our lives to His purpose. Our action is centered upon our wholehearted worship to God. This is what He will be seeking from us. In regards to the Israelites, He found that they have grown tired of God. They were into the rituals following the script from the book of Leviticus. What was wrong from their worship, though they were extravagant, is that it has become monotonous that they have lost the joy of being in the presence of God. Instead of God being pleased from their worship, in His examination of their motives He said, “You have burdened me with your sins and wearied me with your faults.” Our worship should not be a means for us to bribe God so He will remove our burdens. He will gladly carry with us our burdens for that is who He is. But if our attitude is to come to God because we deserve the good that we get and that God has to reciprocate the good things we are doing, then we miss the essence of true worship. We enter into authentic worship only when we realize that we do not have anything to offer but our sin seeking God’s forgiveness. We are revived only through the finished work of Christ on the cross. God is delighted with such recognition and our transformation will result to re-energizing of our lives. It is not about what we bring before the altar that God is pleased but a humble heart that longs to have fellowship with Him. “Repent, all of you who forget me...giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God” (Psalm 50:22-23).
Blessings,
