One day, a group of Pharisees criticized Jesus because His disciples didn’t follow their traditions. “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking” (Luke 5:33).
The Pharisees had transformed God’s commands into a checklist of man-made rituals. They fasted twice a week, prayed aloud three times a day, and scrupulously gave just ten percent of their earnings. Originally intended as expressions of devotion, their religious practices had morphed into markers of religious status and tools of control.
One Pharisee’s prayer revealed the heart behind these acts: “God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get” (Luke 18:11-12). They flaunted their superiority, added layers of human tradition, and expected the people to follow every detail.
Jesus knew just how corrupt the Pharisees’ hearts truly were and that they were merely performing rituals rather than expressing love and devotion to God. So, when asked why His disciples weren’t fasting and praying, Jesus answered, “Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast” (Luke 5:33-35).
Imagine attending a wedding reception where the father of the bride announces, “We’ve decided not to serve any food or drink tonight. Instead, let’s all gather in a circle to pray.” What would you think? While prayer is a beautiful act, the timing would feel out of place at such a celebration. “There is a time for everything…a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance” (Ecclesiastes 3:1 & 4). Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, was right there with them, so He told the Pharisees that there would come a day when His disciples would mourn, fast, and pray. But in that moment, their need for man-made rituals depicted their hearts were far from God. Jesus, the Bridegroom, was there with them, and it was a time to eat, laugh, and celebrate His presence.
Today, some still equate spirituality with the observance of rituals. They hold fast to routines and traditions, feeling uncomfortable when those traditions change. Their faith is tied to a familiar creed or the same order of worship every week. They balk at the slightest change. “It just didn’t feel like Christmas Eve without lighting candles,” or “Easter wasn’t the same because we didn’t sing ‘Up From the Grave He Arose!’”
While these traditions can be beautiful reminders, they are not the essence of worship. Worship is not about preserving customs but about expressing love and adoration to a holy and sovereign God. God desires communion and devotion from us. Approaching Him with a humble and obedient heart matters far more than ritualistic actions.
My wife and I have a tradition of kissing each other goodbye and hello each day—a good habit, but it’s usually a simple, ritualistic peck. Sometimes, if she’s wearing lipstick, it’s just a “pucker” in each other’s direction! It’s a nice tradition, but not very meaningful. Thankfully, I know my wife truly loves me.All of us want a marriage that is not just going through the motions, offering a ritualistic kiss or “I love you.” We desire spouses who want to be in our presence, to hug, talk, listen, and really kiss us. We want our spouses to be fully devoted and truly love us.
Similarly, God wants more than ritualistic, go-through-the-motions worship. He desires a deep covenant connection—a devotion that reflects our acknowledgment of His Lordship, not a rote display.
Some rituals and traditions can be positive reminders of God’s presence, moving us toward a deeper connection with Him. Yet, they can easily become routine and meaningless. God wants more than rote prayers, automatic church attendance, routine singing, and mechanical tithing. He wants our heartfelt attention. He wants real conversation, complete trust, intimate fellowship, and joyful passion in His presence.
That is why God once spoke sharply to His people, who had reduced their faith to hollow acts: “I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Away with the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the music of your harps” (Amos 5:21-23).
God sought their hearts, not their rituals. His desire was for true worship, not performance.
Most of all, He wants obedience to His commands. James reminds us that “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). True worship calls us to serve others, act justly, and walk humbly with God. Empty rituals cannot substitute for obedience and compassion.
When we replace genuine devotion and obedience to God with empty practices, He is displeased, and our souls remain unfulfilled. Our faith should be more than an empty religion. It should be expressed in humble, obedient love and devotion that glorifies God.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30).
