In South Africa we live with high walls surrounding our homes. Electric fences, security guards, beams and all sorts of systems are designed to keep us protected and separated from any danger. We are barricaded on all sides from the ‘monsters’ that lurk on the outsides of our comfortable bubbles far from the maddening crowds.

The layers that need to be cut through to get to us are as numerous as they are intimidating. Our vulnerabilities are hidden behind that which surrounds us.

In many ways, we also allow our faith to be hidden behind so many layers of stuff- traditions, culture and man made rituals are some. I think that often the core of our religious identity -in my case Christianity- is in danger of being hidden behind so much unnneccesary pomp and show that eventually Jesus is no longer seen because of everything that we’ve barricaded Him behind.

The simplicity of the gospel has been displaced by layer upon layer of culture and learned rituals that are not in any way simple and sometimes not even Biblical. What Jesus taught was love, honour for God, repentance, and salvation through what HE did. What we’ve managed to develop is religion with a to-do list so long that it is almost impossible to navigate or achieve. The whole idea of faith has become tiresome with long memorised rules, prayers, doctrine and chants that we partake in in order to please God without actual surrender.

When these are done as an addition to our worship they are beautiful, however when they are our only form of worship, the whole concept of a relationship with God as a Father is nearly impossible.

Can you imagine communicating with your father through the words and rituals prescribed to you by somebody else from another century altogether?

I really believe that we need to get back to what is real worship. The truth of who and what is at the very core of your faith- use your own words to speak to God, discuss your dreams with Him, thank Him for your own blessings in your own words– acknowledge Him as your own Father- reclaim your faith and lose the religiosity at the same time.

What we are taught nowadays is that we can design everything in our lives according to how we want it to look. This includes our bodies, our sexuality, life style and saddest of all, our faith. The Bible says that we were created to worship God, that our bodies must be a temple of His Holy Spirit and that we were made intricately, fearfully and wonderfully in His image.

This is no time for false faith, pious attitudes, religious spirits and spiritually clever sounding repetitions. The Bible speaks of our words sounding like a clanging bell if spoken without love (1 Corinthians 13:1)

It’s time to remove the many layers that hide Christ in us and to expose Him to a sick and dying world that is infected with a hopelessness that has permeated through even the most religious groups of humanity.

Let’s own our faith, reveal its source and allow Him to restore all that is broken and lacking in us and around us. I urge you to look for Him in your place of worship whatever denomination you may be. He will meet with you wherever you are, whatever denomination you have chosen and regardless of what your past looks like.

Let’s allow awe to direct our worship and grace to guard our attitudes. Its all about Him- always Him. Only Him.

“Then Samuel replied, “Does the LORD want entirely burned offerings and sacrifices as much as obedience to the LORD? Listen to this: obeying is better than sacrificing, paying attention is better than fat from rams,”
‭‭1 Samuel 15:22

“And so the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭29‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts; the incense of your offerings disgusts me! As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath and your special days for fasting— they are all sinful and false. I want no more of your pious meetings.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭1‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What God the Father considers to be pure and genuine religion is this: to take care of orphans and widows in their suffering and to keep oneself from being corrupted by the world. James 1:27