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Most of us have watched hidden camera TV programs. Sometimes we see positive action—like a caring bystander coming to the rescue of a needy person. Other times, cameras catch unsightly or hurtful action—like the mistreatment of an elderly person in a nursing home or a robber holding up a jewelry store. But cameras cannot catch what lurks in our hearts—like insincere worship. Only God knows when our worship is artificial. Notice from Isaiah Ch 1 what God says about hypocritical or insincere worship: “When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look. Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims. Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.” Notice that even though God condemns those who worship hypocritically, He invites the insincere and hypocritical worshipers to repent of their evil ways and become sincere in their worship. If we are not careful, we can be hypocritical in our worship today when our daily behavior contradicts what we sing about at worship. God wants our daily behavior to reflect our Sunday worship.
