Let’s Pretend

   Almost all little girls enjoy playing dolls. Isn’t it amazing how realistic some of them look? You’re tempted to warn, “O be careful honey, you might hurt the baby!” With the boys, the thrills don’t come with frills, “This is war, and army men are expendable!.” On rare occasions, little boys leave the battle fields and little girls leave the powder rooms to meet on common ground for an imaginative game of “house.”

   Adults are different... or are we? Fathers “check out” all of their son’s toys at Christmas, to be sure they’re “okay.” Mothers just have to show their daughters “the ropes” in miniature homemaking. Makes you wonder who’s having more fun.

   As harmless as it seems, our “let’s pretend” mentality is detrimental to our spiritual lives. The prophet Isaiah penned a timeless truth when he expressed God’s displeasure in “play religion.” God said,“Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. (Isaiah 1:13).”

   Our own repetitious prayers before indulging in a delicious meal, reading our Bible only to boast of finishing in a year, fasting to lose a few pounds rather than for fervent fellowship with God, are all an abomination to God. When we hold office in a church only for the prestige, or attend church only to prevent others from thinking less of us, or present our offerings to earn the praise of man, God is sickened. The sin of “pretend christianity” destroys divine fellowship!

   Thankfully Isaiah provides a remedy. He writes, “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. (Isaiah 1:16-17).” Confessing and forsaking our sin is paramount in maintaining fellowship with the Almighty. With our Lord’s forgiveness and a new beginning, we can have victory over “let’s pretend” in our relationship with God.