Don't Let Lockdown Let You Down

The 3 sections mentioned here are the 3 fundamenetal acts of piety in Judaism.

giving to the needy (or “alms-giving”),

prayer,

and fasting.

But The common thread of Jesus’ teaching on them here

is less about what each of these things is

and much more about the attitude in which you do these things.

Jesus recognizes how easy it is for sinners to engage in

worthy, good and even religious activities,

less in order to ‘do’ what is right

than to be ‘admired’ for doing what is right.

We all fall for that temptation I’m sure.

If being thought generous is more important than being generous,

if gaining a reputation for prayerfulness is more important to us than praying when no one but God is listening,

if fasting (or sacrificing some comfort for our development of faith) is something we do only so we can talk about it to others,

then these acts of holiness and purity (or righteousness as Jesus puts it in v1)

become acts of unholiness and impurity - or unrighteousness.

Done for self glorification, rather than Gods glorification.

3 times Jesus says

The New International Version Chapter 6

Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Practice holiness for our Father, not for Fame. - For his reward is great.

So perhpas lockdown 3.0 might be exactly what we need.

No-one is going to see us much, if at all - so we’ll be tested won’t we.

Will we keep seeking holiness in our lockdown lonliness - or will lockdown see the end of our attemps to be holy becasue no human is watching!

Will we only pray once a month here at this meeting becasue others will see us,

or will lockdown mean we have more time to pray in secret,

to and for the pleasure of the only ONE who truely matters.

Will we only induldge ourselevs during Lockdown becasue no-one is watching

or will we forgo certain things as a spritual fast for our audiance of one, the Lord God.

Will we be less generous becasue there is no-one to tell about our generosity on Sunday’s or more generous becasue God is our desire.

Let’s not let this lockdown let us down - we can pursue holiness all the more,

for lockdown reminds us we only need to please the one who is alwasy with us, always watching.

Let Lockdown 3.0 help teach us to desire the pleasure of pleasing God alone.

Pray