Sometimes, when we’re at church, it’s easy to say or sing all the right things without really thinking about what they mean. We might know the prayers or songs by heart, but just saying words isn’t enough. The Bible talks about this in Matthew 15:8-9, where Jesus says some people say nice things to God, but their hearts aren’t really in it. God cares more about what’s going on inside us than just the words we say out loud.
When Isaiah and Ezekiel spoke for God, they warned people not to just “go through the motions” of church and religion. God doesn’t want us to act or sound religious if we don’t really mean it. He wants us to be honest and real with Him, not just follow traditions or do things because “that’s how we’ve always done them.” If we just do things out of habit, our worship becomes empty and meaningless.
Real worship is about truly loving God with everything we have—our thoughts, our feelings, and our actions. It’s not just about saying “praise the Lord” or singing loudly, but letting our lives show that we love God. When we do things for God out of real love, our words and actions match up.
Traditions can be good, but if we get too caught up in doing things a certain way, we can forget the real reason behind them. Jesus warned people not to let man-made rules or routines take over what God actually wants. God wants us to love Him, love others, and be genuine—not just follow rules for the sake of it.
God knows we’re not perfect. He’s not looking for us to put on a show or pretend to have it all together. He wants us to come to Him honestly, even if we struggle sometimes. The important thing is that we’re real with God and try to connect with Him for who He is, not just to look good in front of others.
In the end, God is inviting us to worship Him with our whole selves—not just our lips, but our hearts too. When we do this, we’ll find true joy and strength in our relationship with Him, because it’s real and not just for show.
Minister A Francine Green, March 2026
afrancinegreen.com 