Instead of a Show

Last weekend I downloaded Jon Foreman's delightful album entitled Summer. (Jon Foreman is the lead singer of Switchfoot.) This completes four six-track EPs named after the four seasons, and I highly recommend all four. His songs from Scripture are amazing.

On Fall he has a song entitled "Equally Skilled" from Micah 7. Winter contains the song "White as Show" based on Psalm 51. In Spring he sings the Lord's Prayer in a song called "Your Love is String"--this is probably my favorite of the whole set. And Summer contains just about the most beautiful acoustic melody on one of the most beautiful Psalms, Psalm 23. The song's called "The House of God, Forever." Maybe I'll write a post on each one with the passage from the Bible they're so great.

Summer has another intriguing song based on Isaiah 1 called "Instead of a Show," targeted at us Christians who are prone to go throughout he motions of religion and miss the whole point: "you sing right along with the band / you shine up your shoes for services / but there's blood on your hands / you turned your back on the homeless / and the ones that don't fit in your plan / quit playing religion games / there's blood on your hands. Instead let there be a flood of justice, an endless precession of righteous living, living... "

The passage in Isaiah shows God's heart in this matter. He's not impressed by empty ceremony; he hates it. He wants me and you to live in the glorious light of goodness and righteousness that He gives:

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From Isaiah 1:13-18 (NIV), the Lord speaking to his people in ancient Israel.

"Stop brining me meaningless offerings!
Your incense is detestable to me.
New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations--
I cannot bear your evil assemblies.
Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts
my soul hates.
They have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.
Your hands are full of blood: wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight!
Stop doing wrong, learn to do right!
Seek justice, encourage the oppressed,
Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

"Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord.
"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow;
Though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."