Rote or not: Isaiah 29:13-14

Isaiah 29:13-14

The Lord said:
Because these people draw near with their mouths
    and honor me with their lips,
    while their hearts are far from me,
and their worship of me is a human commandment learned by rote;
so I will again do
    amazing things with this people,
    shocking and amazing.
The wisdom of their wise shall perish,

    and the discernment of the discerning shall be hidden.

I was having a conversation recently with some folks about the benefits (or not) of rote memorization.

It's clear that memorizing can be good in some instances. And repetition also is good for development.

But here God is wondering what's so great about worship being a "human command learned by rote."

As in, going through the motions. Saying the right thing. Doing the right thing.

But maybe not so much feeling the right thing? Maybe not so much being present and involved and changing and growing from the experience.

The Israelites were not alone in worshiping with their lips and not their hearts. Happens to the best of us from time to time. Or maybe more than that.

And yet despite that, God will do amazing things. That's the promise.

Regardless of how we worship, where our hearts are, how rote our Lord's Prayer is, God will do amazing things.

Some of the best worship experiences I can remember were ones littered with mistakes, miscues, not the greatest singing, typos in bulletins and other imperfect liturgical gaffs.

And yet they had heart.

And yet the words were not just from the lips of the worshiper. There was nothing rote in the prayers.

There was soul.

We won't always get it right. But even when we don't, God will do amazing things regardless.

Lord, help me worship you with my whole being. Amen.