Human beings have always longed to please the "gods" through outward motions. These may be a whole host of things, (see below) but always have roots in earning your position/favor with God. However, the Bible makes it clear, God is not pleased with outward things if the heart is not right. In fact it would be irrational to approach God with a dirty heart and after doing religious rituals or motions, to expect God to no longer see that dirt. We need God to clean our heart. You see, making God happy starts and ends with our heart, not the rest of the body. We will always fail to get right with God until we understand who God really is. For starters, God is good and loves you. God is just and can't ignore wrong doing. God created, judged, loved, and redeemed. God did in fact, do it all for us. When we truly understand that God did it all, and only asks for our faith, it becomes obvious that we can't motion ourselves into a better place with God. I will say it again, God looks to the heart! What does God want from us? A heart that has faith. A heart that is humble and which knows how unworthy it is before God. A heart that looks to God for everything, but not out of any worthiness within us. You want God to smile and to bless you? Hear God's word and nurture your heart. Admit your failures. Be renewed by God's love. A heart full of faith, humbleness, and love, invites the Holy Spirit. So don't do worldly things from the members of your body to look religious before God. Instead know who you aren't. Know that God is everything you are not. Know that God sent His son Jesus as an object of your faith. Know that Jesus paid for your sins and after dying, rose again. Know that Jesus is with you always. Know peace. Want to do something? These things you can do. Thank God from your heart for blessings, and thank Him that bad things weren't worse. Bow your heart to God from faith and humbleness and then serve others. Sing to God from your heart. Love God and others from your heart. Say sorry from your heart. (both to God and to others) Then you can rest easier. Then you don't have to perform religious acts, but instead can live at peace and with purpose. Sorry for the long post... Here is a great song to hear and sing regarding this topic from Rush of Fools.
Verse for Consideration:
Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Lyrics:
I try my best to work for Your love
I never rest, hoping You'll want me to
When it's already, it's already, it's already been done
When it's already, it's already, it's already been done
I never stop believing there's more I can do
I just can't resist searching for ways to please You
There's nothing more there's never less
It's only You and I am blessed
Well, there's nothing more there's never less
It's only You and I am blessed
**Ways to seek God's presence and favor (throughout earths history and applies to different of religions):
kneeling or folding hands when speaking to God
using only certain worthy writings and methods of worship
doing habitual motions (like signing cross, motions for rosary, etc...)
give money/goods
fasting for a time
refraining from certain food/drink for a time
refusal to partake of certain food or drink
ritual cleaning/purification
long periods of prayer/meditation
killing of living things (blood sacrifice)
burning something on an altar (incense/plants and grains/meat)
recitation of incantations/spells/other canned liturgy
corporate singing/chanting
going into a trance under the influence of certain substances
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