Reading your Bible for Today October 13

October 13: Mark 7:1-13

KJV Key Verse: Mark 7:7
7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 

Devotion:
How many rules can you think of which you have to obey in your household? There are going to be so many small rules you do not often think of, but simply do because you know them to be right. But have you ever considered comparing them to what God would have us do?

I am not saying we each need an in-depth study of what we do in comparison to what Christ did – rather a more subtle approach to make each of us think about what we do each and every day or week. There are some habits we get into which please us, there are others that please God; but I'm sure each of us could find at least one that is not strictly what God would have us do...

Christ was trying to point this out to the Pharisees around Him, trying to show them they had extended their rules far and beyond those laid down by God. They had changed the rules to suit themselves and because the rules sounded strict, they had adopted them for their own good. Whilst the washing of hands was a strict part of sacrifices, it was not meant to be a strict part of everyday life just before we eat anything (Maybe if I had known these verses as a child I may have been able to get out of washing my hands once or twice – most of the time it was probably wise that I should wash my hands because of the things I got up to!) The word “Corban”, used here, was used to pronounce anything as being dedicated to the temple, thus being free from taxes and other rules – but other rules were put in place so people could get back things dedicated to the temple before the year of jubilee; thus meaning they were never truly dedicated in the first place.

We change rules in our lives to suit our own ways all the time. Some of those rules try to make a mockery of the Bible. They effectively shun God's Word in preference to man's own rules, thereby lifting man above God. Whilst we may try to defend such rules, in reality they are just man's rules being upheld before God's rules...

Points to Ponder:
Do you have any strange rules in your house?

What do you think Jesus would have you do?